Frozen-State Electrochemistry Enables Proton-Selective Reaction Environments for Deterministic Atomic Construction

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Electrochemical reactions typically occur in liquid electrolytes, where charge and mass transport are coupled.
• This coupling influences reaction kinetics and material structural changes.
• Controlling these factors is crucial for advanced material synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of frozen acidic electrolytes for electrochemical single-atom construction.
• To explore the potential of subzero temperatures to decouple charge and mass transport.
• To develop a new low-temperature strategy for creating stable single-atom catalysts.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing frozen acidic electrolytes at subzero temperatures.
• Leveraging the proton-selective conductivity of ice lattices.
• Employing electrochemical methods to construct isolated metal sites.
• Analyzing the stability of atomic configurations during operation.

Main Results:

• Frozen electrolytes enable proton-selective charge transport while restricting ion migration.
• This asymmetry allows for charge-programmable, aggregation-suppressed construction of isolated metal sites.
• The synthesized atomic configurations demonstrated stability under electrochemical conditions.
• The method proved effective across various metals and support materials.

Conclusions:

• Frozen acidic electrolytes provide a unique reaction medium for electrochemical single-atom construction.
• This approach decouples charge and mass transport, enabling precise control over atomic site formation.
• It offers a versatile, low-temperature strategy for synthesizing stable single-atom catalysts.