Superiority of Dual-Atom Catalysts in Electrocatalysis: One Step Further Than Single-Atom Catalysts

In recent years, dual-atom catalysts (DACs) have attracted extensive attention, as an extension of single-atom catalysts (SACs). Compared with SACs, DACs have higher metal loading and more complex and flexible active sites, thus achieving better catalytic performance and providing more opportunities for electrocatalysis. This review introduces the research progress in recent years on how to design new DACs to enhance the performance of electrocatalysis. Firstly, the advantages of DACs in increasing metal loading are introduced. Then, the role of DACs in changing the adsorption condition of reactant molecules on metal atoms is discussed. Moreover, the ways in which DACs can reduce the reaction energy barrier of key steps and change the reaction path are explored. Catalytic applications in different electrocatalytic reactions, including the carbon dioxide reduction reaction, oxygen reduction reaction, oxygen evolution reaction, hydrogen evolution reaction, and nitrogen reduction reaction are followed. Finally, a brief summary is made and the key challenges and prospects of DACs are introduced.

Automated summary

This review introduces the recent research progress on how to design new DACs to enhance the performance of electrocatalysis. The advantages of DACs in increasing metal loading, changing the adsorption condition of reactant molecules, reducing the reaction energy barrier, and altering the reaction path are discussed. The catalytic applications in different electrocatalytic reactions are also explored.