Recent Advances in Sustainable Single-Atom Catalysts from Biomass and Solid Waste: Design, Synthesis and Applications

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Catalysis
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Single-atom catalysts (SACs) offer high metal utilization and tunable properties.
• Sustainable single-atom catalysts (Sus-SACs) leverage biomass and waste for eco-friendly production.
• Sus-SACs align with carbon neutrality and circular economy goals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in Sus-SACs.
• To discuss precursors, synthesis, characterization, and applications of Sus-SACs.
• To outline challenges and future opportunities for Sus-SACs.

Main Methods:

• Review of biomass and solid waste precursors for Sus-SACs.
• Discussion of synthesis methodologies, including ultrafast approaches.
• Summary of characterization techniques and AI applications.
• Evaluation of catalytic applications in electrocatalysis, synthesis, and remediation.

Main Results:

• Biomass and waste offer viable precursors for Sus-SACs.
• Ultrafast synthesis shows potential for scalable Sus-SAC production.
• AI integration accelerates Sus-SAC development.
• Sus-SACs demonstrate significant potential in diverse catalytic applications.

Conclusions:

• Sus-SACs represent a promising, sustainable approach to catalysis.
• Further research is needed to address challenges and enable industrial translation.
• Sus-SACs are crucial for advancing green chemistry and environmental solutions.