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Catalysis

Catalysis

The presence of a catalyst affects the rate of a chemical reaction. A catalyst is a substance that can increase the reaction rate without being consumed during the process. A basic comprehension of a catalysts’ role during chemical reactions can be understood from the concept of reaction mechanisms and energy diagrams.

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Updated: Sep 2, 2025

Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

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Published on: April 10, 2018

Thermally-stable single-atom catalysts and beyond: A perspective.

Sixu Liu^1,2, Jiwei Li^1,2, Haifeng Xiong^1,2

¹State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.

Frontiers in Chemistry

|August 1, 2022

Summary

Developing stable single-atom catalysts (SACs) for high temperatures is challenging. This perspective reviews methods for creating thermally stable SACs via reverse-Ostwald ripening, focusing on atom trapping and self-assembly for improved catalytic performance.

Keywords:

atom trapping metal-support interaction single-atom catalysts thermally stable vapor-phase self-assembly

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Area of Science:

Heterogeneous Catalysis
Materials Science
Surface Chemistry

Background:

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) offer high efficiency but struggle with stability at elevated temperatures due to atom sintering.
Understanding and overcoming the thermal instability of SACs is crucial for their practical application in high-temperature reactions.
Current research focuses on developing robust SACs that maintain their structure and activity under harsh conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

To review recent advancements in synthesizing thermally stable SACs for high-temperature applications.
To explore synthesis strategies, including atom trapping and vapor-phase self-assembly, based on the reverse-Ostwald ripening mechanism.
To provide insights into designing stable and active SACs by correlating structure with performance.

Main Methods:

Summarizing recent literature on the preparation of thermally stable SACs synthesized at elevated temperatures.
Discussing synthesis approaches such as atom trapping and vapor-phase self-assembly.
Integrating experimental findings with computational simulations to analyze catalyst properties.

Main Results:

Thermally stable SACs can be prepared via the reverse-Ostwald ripening mechanism, utilizing atom trapping and vapor-phase self-assembly.
Key factors like lattice oxygen reducibility, metal loading limits, and single-atom location influence catalyst stability and reactivity.
Tailoring the coordination structure of metal single atoms is shown to be effective in optimizing SAC performance.

Conclusions:

The reverse-Ostwald ripening mechanism offers a viable route to synthesize thermally stable SACs.
Understanding the interplay between synthesis parameters, structure, and high-temperature catalytic performance is essential for rational catalyst design.
This perspective provides guidance for developing advanced SACs suitable for demanding high-temperature catalytic processes.