Recent progress in single-atom alloys: Synthesis, properties, and applications in environmental catalysis

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials 2022-02, Vol.424, p.127427-127427, Article 127427
• Main Authors: Xu, Zhiling, Ao, Zhimin, Yang, Mei, Wang, Shaobin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Catalyst design; Environmental catalysis; Gas pollutants; Single-atom alloys
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127427

Heterogeneous catalysts have made outstanding advancements in pollutants elimination as well as energy and materials production over the past decades. Single-atom alloys (SAAs) are novel environmental catalysts prepared by dispersing single metal atoms on other metals. Integrating the advantages of single atom and alloys, SAAs can maximize atom utilization, reduce the use of noble metals and enhance catalytic performances. The synergistic, electronic and geometric effects of SAAs are effective to modulate the activation energy and adsorption strength, consequently breaking linear scaling relationship as well as offering an excellent catalytic activity and selectivity. Moreover, SAAs possess clear atomic structure, active sites and reaction mechanisms, providing an opportunity to tailor catalytic properties and develop effective environmental catalysts. In this review, we provide the recent progress on synthetic strategies, catalytic properties and catalyst design of SAAs. Furthermore, the applications of SAAs in environmental catalysis are introduced towards catalytic conversion and elimination of different air pollutants in many important reactions including (electrochemical) oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dehydrogenation of VOCs, CO2 conversion, NOx reduction, CO oxidation, SO3 decomposition, etc. Finally, challenges and opportunities of SAAs in a broad environmental field are proposed. [Display omitted] •Preparation methods of SAAs and relative merits are reviewed.•SAAs exhibit unique catalytic performances and break linear scaling relationships.•Design of SAAs is firstly reviewed from structure, active site and mechanism.•Environmental catalysis of SAAs to different air pollutants is firstly overviewed.•Future prospects and challenges of SAAs in environmental applications are discussed.