Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 29, 2026

Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
Published on: December 6, 2021
Recent Advances and Challenges in Single-Atom Catalysts for Thermocatalytic CO2 Hydrogenation
Ping Chen1,2, Xin Zhang1, Honghong Shi1
1Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA.
Abstract:
Thermocatalytic hydrogenation of carbon dioxide (CO2) offers a promising route for carbon recycling and sustainable chemical production, yet its efficiency and selectivity are limited by the chemical inertness of CO2 and the structural complexity of conventional heterogeneous catalysts. In recent years, single-atom catalysts (SACs) have emerged as an attractive platform for CO2 hydrogenation due to their atomically defined active sites, high metal utilization efficiency, and tunable electronic structures. This review summarizes recent advances in SACs for thermocatalytic CO2 hydrogenation, with emphasis on structure-activity relationships, reaction mechanisms, and selectivity control toward C1 and economically more valuable C2 + products. We highlight how coordination environment, metal-support interactions, and spatial confinement govern the electron transfer and catalytic performance. Emerging strategies such as cooperative and cascade catalysis, single atom-zeolite coupling, and confinement engineering are emphasized for overcoming intrinsic limitations of isolated single-atom sites. Finally, remaining challenges and future opportunities are outlined, focusing on catalyst stability, scalability, and the rational integration of SACs into industrially relevant catalytic architectures.
Related Concept Videos
Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the surface of...
Heterogeneous Catalysis
Catalysis
Catalysis
Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.
