Pt Single Atom Deposition by Direct Current Sputtering in the Gas-Scattering Regime-A Simple Approach to Controlled...

Supported single atoms represent a new frontier in many catalytic fields, and noble metal single atoms in particular have been reported to be a highly effective cocatalyst in photocatalysis or electrocatalysis. Herein, it is described that direct current sputtering of Pt, when operated under plain gas-scattering conditions, can be leveraged for single atom deposition on various substrates (herein TiO₂ and graphene are used as examples). The approach allows a uniform single atom deposition with a high level of control over single atom density and loading amount on both surfaces. Such Pt single atoms on TiO₂ can be used directly (without further treatments) as cocatalysts for photocatalytic H₂ generation. Remarkably, single atom loading and H₂ generation activity correlate linearly over a wide range of Pt loading (0.16-1.41 at%). The findings not only open a new avenue for the synthesis and use of single atoms in photocatalysis but also highlight the use of gas-phase scattering as a simple, scalable, and versatile approach for single-atom catalyst fabrication.