A comprehensive study on heterogeneous single atom catalysis: Current progress, and challenges

The production of suitable catalytic materials has expanded considerably in recent years. Now a days, single atom catalysts (SACs) are becoming a new fundamental research area because of the availability of a greater number of active sites and high catalytic activity. However, when particle size decreases, the surface activity of metals upsurges, facilitating the aggregation and sintering. As a result, an appropriate strategy is necessary for the synthesis and stability of SACs. Meanwhile, a large quantity of catalysts is needed for industrial scale production and practical applications. Therefore, manufacturing a high yield of SACs remains challenging. The development of bimetallic SACs is crucial since bimetallic and ternary catalysts have become more comprehended. Herein, the review opens a broad portfolio towards the development of SACs in the fields of electrocatalysis (HER, OER, ORR, N-2 reduction, CO oxidation etc.), photocatalysis (H-2 generation, CO2 reduction etc.) and organic transformation (C-C, C-X bond formation, oxidation of alcohol-aldehyde and alkane-alcohol) focusing on different types of metal-support co-ordination. A comprehensive summary of the different synthesis protocols of SACs (impregnation, co-precipitation, ALD, pyrolysis, etc.) over several substrates and large-scale manufacturing strategies are highlighted. Furthermore, the current review will concentrate on SAC stability, dual site performance, and the growth of bimetallic SACs to date. Finally, the potential future opportunities are discussed. (C) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The production of suitable catalytic materials has expanded considerably in recent years, particularly with the emergence of single atom catalysts (SACs), which offer a greater number of active sites and high catalytic activity. However, the reduced size of particles can lead to increased surface activity of metals, resulting in aggregation and sintering. Therefore, it is necessary to develop appropriate strategies for the synthesis and stability of SACs. Additionally, the mass production of SACs remains challenging, making the development of bimetallic SACs crucial. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the development of SACs in various fields, highlighting different synthesis protocols and large-scale manufacturing strategies.