Intrinsic and external active sites of single-atom catalysts

Area of Science:

• Catalysis
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Industrial catalysis commonly uses active components on supports.
• Catalytic activity increases with decreasing active component size, leading to single-atom catalysts (SACs).
• Low loading of external single atoms (SAs) due to aggregation limits SACs' performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss SACs with external versus intrinsic SAs.
• To highlight the potential of intrinsic SAs for higher loading and improved activity.
• To outline challenges and perspectives for high-loading intrinsic SACs.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on SACs with external and intrinsic SAs.
• Analysis of aggregation mechanisms of external SAs.
• Discussion of strategies for preparing intrinsic SACs.

Main Results:

• External SAs in SACs are prone to aggregation, limiting loading and activity.
• Intrinsic SAs offer a route to circumvent aggregation and achieve higher loading.
• Intrinsic SACs have the potential for enhanced catalytic performance.

Conclusions:

• Shifting research focus to intrinsic SAs is crucial for advancing SAC technology.
• Overcoming challenges in preparing high-loading intrinsic SACs is key for future applications.
• Intrinsic SACs represent a promising frontier for next-generation industrial catalysis.