1 3
Topics in Current Chemistry (2019) 377:4
electronic structures and TOFs for electrocatalysis. At this point, advanced techniques are required to understand molecular structures of single-atom metal sites.
Combining experiments with theoretical simulations should help to understand the
correlation between the electronic structures and catalytic activity at the atomic
level. The findings of this fundamental research can provide scientific evidence for
the rational design of high-performance electrocatalysts. On the other hand, creative strategies are needed for increasing the metal loading in single-atom metal catalysts. In addition, electrochemical energy devices such as fuel cells and electrolyzers
should be assembled to further evaluate the reliability and practicality of carbonbased single-atom metal catalysts.
Acknowledgements This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (No.
2017YFB0102900), the Research Grant Council (N_HKUST610/17) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Guangdong Special Fund for Science and Technology Development [Hong Kong Technology Cooperation Funding Scheme (201704030019 and 201704030065)].
References
1. Seh ZW, Kibsgaard J, Dickens CF, Chorkendorff I, Nørskov JK, Jaramillo TF (2017) Combining theory and experiment in electrocatalysis: insights into materials design. Science
355(6321):eaad4998
2. Zhu YP, Guo C, Zheng Y, Qiao S-Z (2017) Surface and interface engineering of noble-metal-free
electrocatalysts for efficient energy conversion processes. Acc Chem Res 50(4):915–923
3. Shao M, Chang Q, Dodelet J-P, Chenitz R (2016) Recent advances in electrocatalysts for oxygen
reduction reaction. Chem Rev 116(6):3594–3657
4. Zhu S, Jiang B, Cai W-B, Shao M (2017) Direct observation on reaction intermediates and the role
of bicarbonate anions in CO 2 electrochemical reduction reaction on Cu surfaces. J Am Chem Soc
139(44):15664–15667
5. Yao Y, Zhu S, Wang H, Li H, Shao M (2018) A spectroscopic study on the nitrogen electrochemical reduction reaction on gold and platinum surfaces. J Am Chem Soc 140(4):1496–1501
6. Liu K-H, Zhong H-X, Li S-J, Duan Y-X, Shi M-M, Zhang X-B, Yan J-M, Jiang Q (2018) Advanced
catalysts for sustainable hydrogen generation and storage via hydrogen evolution and carbon dioxide/nitrogen reduction reactions. Prog Mater Sci 92:64–111
7. Lu Z, Chen G, Siahrostami S, Chen Z, Liu K, Xie J, Liao L, Wu T, Lin D, Liu Y, Jaramillo TF,
Nørskov JK, Cui Y (2018) High-efficiency oxygen reduction to hydrogen peroxide catalysed by
oxidized carbon materials. Nat Catal 1(2):156–162
8. Yang X-F, Wang A, Qiao B, Li J, Liu J, Zhang T (2013) Single-atom catalysts: a new frontier in
heterogeneous catalysis. Acc Chem Res 46(8):1740–1748
9. Turner M, Golovko VB, Vaughan OPH, Abdulkin P, Berenguer-Murcia A, Tikhov MS, Johnson BFG, Lambert RM (2008) Selective oxidation with dioxygen by gold nanoparticle catalysts
derived from 55-atom clusters. Nature 454:981
10. Zhang H, Liu G, Shi L, Ye J (2018) Single-atom catalysts: emerging multifunctional materials in
heterogeneous catalysis. Adv Energy Mater 8(1):1701343
11. Qiao B, Wang A, Yang X, Allard LF, Jiang Z, Cui Y, Liu J, Li J, Zhang T (2011) Single-atom
catalysis of CO oxidation using Pt1/FeOx. Nat Chem 3:634
12. Chen Y, Kasama T, Huang Z, Hu P, Chen J, Liu X, Tang X (2015) Highly dense isolated metal
atom catalytic sites: dynamic formation and in situ observations. Chem Eur J 21(48):17397–17402
13. Deng J, Li H, Xiao J, Tu Y, Deng D, Yang H, Tian H, Li J, Ren P, Bao X (2015) Triggering the
electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of the inert two-dimensional MoS 2 surface via singleatom metal doping. Energy Environ Sci 8(5):1594–1601
14. Yang S, Kim J, Tak YJ, Soon A, Lee H (2016) Single-atom catalyst of platinum supported on titanium nitride for selective electrochemical reactions. Angew Chem Int Ed 55(6):2058–2062
Reprinted from the journal
143
Topics in Current Chemistry (2019) 377:4
electronic structures and TOFs for electrocatalysis. At this point, advanced techniques are required to understand molecular structures of single-atom metal sites.
Combining experiments with theoretical simulations should help to understand the
correlation between the electronic structures and catalytic activity at the atomic
level. The findings of this fundamental research can provide scientific evidence for
the rational design of high-performance electrocatalysts. On the other hand, creative strategies are needed for increasing the metal loading in single-atom metal catalysts. In addition, electrochemical energy devices such as fuel cells and electrolyzers
should be assembled to further evaluate the reliability and practicality of carbonbased single-atom metal catalysts.
Acknowledgements This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (No.
2017YFB0102900), the Research Grant Council (N_HKUST610/17) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Guangdong Special Fund for Science and Technology Development [Hong Kong Technology Cooperation Funding Scheme (201704030019 and 201704030065)].
References
1. Seh ZW, Kibsgaard J, Dickens CF, Chorkendorff I, Nørskov JK, Jaramillo TF (2017) Combining theory and experiment in electrocatalysis: insights into materials design. Science
355(6321):eaad4998
2. Zhu YP, Guo C, Zheng Y, Qiao S-Z (2017) Surface and interface engineering of noble-metal-free
electrocatalysts for efficient energy conversion processes. Acc Chem Res 50(4):915–923
3. Shao M, Chang Q, Dodelet J-P, Chenitz R (2016) Recent advances in electrocatalysts for oxygen
reduction reaction. Chem Rev 116(6):3594–3657
4. Zhu S, Jiang B, Cai W-B, Shao M (2017) Direct observation on reaction intermediates and the role
of bicarbonate anions in CO 2 electrochemical reduction reaction on Cu surfaces. J Am Chem Soc
139(44):15664–15667
5. Yao Y, Zhu S, Wang H, Li H, Shao M (2018) A spectroscopic study on the nitrogen electrochemical reduction reaction on gold and platinum surfaces. J Am Chem Soc 140(4):1496–1501
6. Liu K-H, Zhong H-X, Li S-J, Duan Y-X, Shi M-M, Zhang X-B, Yan J-M, Jiang Q (2018) Advanced
catalysts for sustainable hydrogen generation and storage via hydrogen evolution and carbon dioxide/nitrogen reduction reactions. Prog Mater Sci 92:64–111
7. Lu Z, Chen G, Siahrostami S, Chen Z, Liu K, Xie J, Liao L, Wu T, Lin D, Liu Y, Jaramillo TF,
Nørskov JK, Cui Y (2018) High-efficiency oxygen reduction to hydrogen peroxide catalysed by
oxidized carbon materials. Nat Catal 1(2):156–162
8. Yang X-F, Wang A, Qiao B, Li J, Liu J, Zhang T (2013) Single-atom catalysts: a new frontier in
heterogeneous catalysis. Acc Chem Res 46(8):1740–1748
9. Turner M, Golovko VB, Vaughan OPH, Abdulkin P, Berenguer-Murcia A, Tikhov MS, Johnson BFG, Lambert RM (2008) Selective oxidation with dioxygen by gold nanoparticle catalysts
derived from 55-atom clusters. Nature 454:981
10. Zhang H, Liu G, Shi L, Ye J (2018) Single-atom catalysts: emerging multifunctional materials in
heterogeneous catalysis. Adv Energy Mater 8(1):1701343
11. Qiao B, Wang A, Yang X, Allard LF, Jiang Z, Cui Y, Liu J, Li J, Zhang T (2011) Single-atom
catalysis of CO oxidation using Pt1/FeOx. Nat Chem 3:634
12. Chen Y, Kasama T, Huang Z, Hu P, Chen J, Liu X, Tang X (2015) Highly dense isolated metal
atom catalytic sites: dynamic formation and in situ observations. Chem Eur J 21(48):17397–17402
13. Deng J, Li H, Xiao J, Tu Y, Deng D, Yang H, Tian H, Li J, Ren P, Bao X (2015) Triggering the
electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of the inert two-dimensional MoS 2 surface via singleatom metal doping. Energy Environ Sci 8(5):1594–1601
14. Yang S, Kim J, Tak YJ, Soon A, Lee H (2016) Single-atom catalyst of platinum supported on titanium nitride for selective electrochemical reactions. Angew Chem Int Ed 55(6):2058–2062
Reprinted from the journal
143