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Review Article Issue
The reformation of catalyst: From a trial-and-error synthesis to rational design
Nano Research 2024, 17 (4): 3261-3301
Published: 27 September 2023
Downloads:341

The appropriate catalysts can accelerate the reaction rate and effectively boost the efficient conversion of various molecules, which is of great importance in the study of chemistry, chemical industry, energy, materials and environmental science. Therefore, efficient, environmentally friendly, and easy to operate synthesis methods have been used to prepare various types of catalysts. Although previous studies have reported the synthesis and characterization of the aforementioned catalysts, more still remain in trial and error methods, without in-depth consideration and improvement of traditional synthesis methods. Here, we comprehensively summarize and compare the preparation methods of the trial-and-error synthesis strategy, structure–activity relationships and density functional theory (DFT) guided catalysts rational design for nanomaterials and atomically dispersed catalysts. We also discuss in detail the utilization of the nanomaterials and single atom catalysts for converting small molecules (H2O, O2, CO2, N2, etc.) into value-added products driven by electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, and thermocatalysis. Finally, the challenges and outlooks of mass preparation and production of efficient and green catalysts through conventional trial and error synthesis and DFT theory are featured in accordance with its current development.

Open Access Review Article Issue
How to select heterogeneous CO2 reduction electrocatalyst
Nano Research Energy 2024, 3: e9120096
Published: 05 September 2023
Downloads:543

As an important part of carbon neutralization, carbon dioxide electroreduction reaction (CO2RR) can convert CO2 into high value-added chemicals and fuels to realize the recycling of carbon resources and solve the problem of environmental pollution. Therefore, exploring the element species and surface structure of the catalyst plays a central role in improving the performance of the catalyst, enhancing the CO2 conversion efficiency and forming C1 and C2+ products. Here, we summarize the recent progress in the selective regulation of CO2RR reaction products by different elements. In particular, we emphasize the structure-property relationship of CO2RR by the microenvironment of metal center and substrate, heteroatom doping, hydrogen bond network of metal-free polymer, and construction of heterogeneous catalytic system. At the same time, the recent advances for the identification of CO2RR active sites and mechanistic studies on the process of reducing CO2 conversion to different products are reviewed, as well as a comprehensive review to the final products. Finally, we outline the inevitable challenges faced by CO2RR and present our own recommendations aimed at contributing to CO2 resource utilization.

Review Article Issue
Atomically dispersed materials: Ideal catalysts in atomic era
Nano Research 2024, 17 (1): 18-38
Published: 25 May 2023
Downloads:114

Catalysts can accelerate the chemical reaction rate and effectively promote the molecules transformation, which is of great significance in the research of chemical industry and material science. The extreme utilization of reactive sites has led to the emergence and development of atomically dispersed materials (ADMs). The highly active coordination unsaturated metal sites and fully utilized metal atoms make ADMs show great potential in catalytic reactions. The adjustment of coordination environment and electronic structure provides more possibilities for constructing reactive centers with different properties. This review summarized the application and research progress of ADMs in different fields. The design strategy and structure–activity relationship of ADMs for specific reactions were summarized and analyzed. Moreover, we also provided advices for the challenges and opportunities faced by ADMs in catalytic reactions.

Review Article Issue
Understanding the structure–performance relationship of active sites at atomic scale
Nano Research 2022, 15 (8): 6888-6923
Published: 14 June 2022
Downloads:277

Metal-based atomically dispersed catalysts have attracted more attention because of their excellent catalytic performance and nearly 100% atom utilization. Therefore, it is very important to comprehensively and systematically understand the relationship between catalytic active sites and catalytic performance at atomic scale. Here, we discuss and summarize in detail the key and fundamental factors affecting the active site, and relate them to the catalytic performance. First, we describe the effectiveness of active site design by coordination effects. Then, the role of chemical bonds in the active sites in changing the reaction performance is discussed. In addition, for intermetallic compounds, we explore how the spacing of active atoms affects the catalytic behavior. Moreover, the importance of synergistic effect in catalyst design is further discussed. Finally, the key parameters affecting the catalytic performance at atomic scale are summarized, and the main challenges and development prospects of atomic catalysts in the future are put forward.

Review Article Issue
Emerging low-nuclearity supported metal catalysts with atomic level precision for efficient heterogeneous catalysis
Nano Research 2022, 15 (9): 7806-7839
Published: 02 June 2022
Downloads:169

Supported atomically dispersed metal catalysts (ADMCs) have received enormous attention due to their high atom utilization efficiency, mass activity and excellent selectivity. Single-atom site catalysts (SACs) with monometal-center as the quintessential ADMCs have been extensively studied in the catalysis-related fields. Beyond SACs, novel atomically dispersed metal catalysts (NADMCs) with flexible active sites featuring two or more catalytically centers including dual-atom and triple-atom catalysts have drawn ever-increasing attention recently. Owing to the presence of multiple neighboring active sites, NADMCs could exhibit much higher activity and selectivity compared with SACs, especially in those complicated reactions with multi-step intermediates. This review comprehensively outlines the recent exciting advances on the NADMCs with emphasis on the deeper understanding of the synergistic interactions among multiple metal atoms and underlying structureperformance relationships. It starts with the systematical introduction of principal synthetic approaches for NADMCs highlighting the key issues of each fabrication method including the atomically precise control in the design of metal nuclearity, and then the state-of-the-art characterizations for identifying and monitoring the atomic structure of NADMCs are explored. Thereafter, the recent development of NADMCs in energy-related applications is systematically discussed. Finally, we provide some new insights into the remaining challenges and opportunities for the development of NADMCs.

Review Article Issue
Regulations of active moiety in single atom catalysts for electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction
Nano Research 2022, 15 (7): 5792-5815
Published: 04 May 2022
Downloads:217

Hydrogen production from water splitting using renewable electric energy is an interesting topic towards the carbon neutral future. Single atom catalysts (SACs) have emerged as a new frontier in the field of catalysis such as hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), owing to their intriguing properties like high activity and excellent chemical selectivity. The catalytic active moiety is often comprised of a single metal atom and its neighboring environment from the supports. Recent published reviews about electric-driven HER tend to classify these SACs by the species of active center atom, nevertheless the influence of their neighboring coordinated atoms from the supports is somehow neglected. Thus we classify the SACs for HER through the type of supports, highlighting the electronic metal–support interaction and their coordination environment from support. Then, we put forward some structural designing strategies including regulating of the central atoms, coordination environments, and metal–support interactions. Finally, the current challenges and future research perspectives of SACs for HER are briefly proposed.

Review Article Issue
Design concept for electrocatalysts
Nano Research 2022, 15 (3): 1730-1752
Published: 04 September 2021
Downloads:275

Metal-based electrocatalysts with different sizes (single atoms, nanoclusters, and nanoparticles) show different catalytic behaviors for various electrocatalytic reactions. Regulating the coordination environment of active sites with precision to rationally design an efficient electrocatalyst is of great significance for boosting electrocatalytic reactions. This review summarizes the recent process of heterogeneous supported single atoms, nanoclusters, and nanoparticles catalysts in electrocatalytic reactions, respectively, and figures out the construct strategies and design concepts based on their strengths and weaknesses. Specifically, four key factors for enhancing electrocatalytic performance, including electronic structure, coordination environment, support property, and interfacial interactions are proposed to provide an overall comprehension to readers in this field. Finally, some insights into the current challenges and future opportunities of the heterogeneous supported electrocatalysts are provided.

Research Article Issue
Cobalt single atom site catalysts with ultrahigh metal loading for enhanced aerobic oxidation of ethylbenzene
Nano Research 2021, 14 (7): 2418-2423
Published: 05 July 2021
Downloads:103

The oxidation of hydrocarbons to produce high value-added compounds (ketones or alcohols) using oxygen in air as the only oxidant is an efficient synthetic strategy from both environmental and economic views. Herein, we successfully synthesized cobalt single atom site catalysts (Co SACs) with high metal loading of 23.58 wt.% supported on carbon nitride (CN), which showed excellent catalytic properties for oxidation of ethylbenzene in air. Moreover, Co SACs show a much higher turn-over frequency (19.6 h-1) than other reported non-noble catalysts under the same condition. Comparatively, the as-obtained nanosized or homogenous Co catalysts are inert to this reaction. Co SACs also exhibit high selectivity (97%) and stability (unchanged after five runs) in this reaction. DFT calculations reveal that Co SACs show a low energy barrier in the first elementary step and a high resistance to water, which result in the robust catalytic performance for this reaction.

Review Article Issue
Single-atom site catalysts for environmental catalysis
Nano Research 2020, 13 (12): 3165-3182
Published: 11 August 2020
Downloads:61

In recent decades, the environmental protection and long-term sustainability have become the focus of attention due to the increasing pollution generated by the intense industrialization. To overcome these issues, environmental catalysis has increasingly been used to solve the negative impact of pollutants emission on the global environment and human health. Supported platinum-metal-group (PGM) materials are commonly utilized as the state-of-the-art catalysts to eliminate gaseous pollutants but large quantities of PGMs are required. By comparison, single-atom site catalysts (SACs) have attracted much attention in catalysis owing to their 100% atom efficiency and unique catalytic performances towards various reactions. Over the past decade, we have witnessed burgeoning interests of SACs in heterogeneous catalysis. However, to the best of our knowledge, the systematic summary and analysis of SACs in catalytic elimination of environmental pollutants has not yet been reported. In this paper, we summarize and discuss the environmental catalysis applications of SACs. Particular focus was paid to automotive and stationary emission control, including model reaction (CO oxidation, NO reduction and hydrocarbon oxidation), overall reaction (three-way catalytic and diesel oxidation reaction), elimination of volatile organic compounds (formaldehyde, benzene, and toluene), and removal/decomposition of other pollutants (Hg0 and SO3). Perspectives related to further challenges, directions and design strategies of single-atom site catalysts in environmental catalysis were also provided.

Research Article Issue
Controlling N-doping type in carbon to boost single-atom site Cu catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of quinoline
Nano Research 2020, 13 (11): 3082-3087
Published: 20 July 2020
Downloads:35

Single-atom site (SA) catalysts on N-doped carbon (CN) materials exhibit prominent performance for their active sites being M-Nx. Due to the commonly random doping behaviors of N species in these CN, it is a tough issue to finely regulate their doping types and clarify their effect on the catalytic property of such catalysts. Herein, we report that the N-doping type in CN can be dominated as pyrrolic-N and pyridinic-N respectively through compounding with different metal oxides. It is found that the proportion of distinct doped N species in CN depends on the acidity and basicity of compounded metal oxide host. Owing to the coordination by pyrrolic-N, the SA Cu catalyst displays an enhanced activity (two-fold) for transfer hydrogenation of quinoline to access the valuable molecule tetrahydroquinoline with a good selectivity (99%) under mild conditions. The higher electron density of SA Cu species induced by the predominate pyrrolic-N coordination benefits the hydrogen transfer process and reduces the energy barrier of the hydrogenation pathway, which accounts for the improved catalytic effeciency.

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