Electrocatalysis with single metal atom sites in doped carbon matrices

Tristan Asset (1) , Frédéric Maillard (1) , Frederic Jaouen (2)

1 EIP - Electrochimie Interfaciale et Procédés
2 ICGM - Institut Charles Gerhardt Montpellier - Institut de Chimie Moléculaire et des Matériaux de Montpellier

While supported metal nanoparticles cannot achieve full electrochemical utilisation of metal atoms, catalysts featuring single metal atom sites may offer this possibility, along with advantages in selectivity. However, the passage from nanometric to atomic dimension is not without consequences. It first raises the question of efficient and robust synthesis methods, and underlines the need of cutting-edge characterization techniques that can target single metal atoms. These analytical tools are also pivotal to gain insights into the structure of the active sites, and establish atomic structure-catalytic activity-selectivity-stability relationships. Herein, we illustrate these topics for electrocatalysis, with a particular focus on metal-nitrogen-carbon single metal atom catalysts, for which a fantastic leap forward has been achieved in the last 15 years, triggered by the growing interest in sustainable energy storage and conversion systems.

Mots clés: Electrocatalysis; Non-Precious Metal Catalysts; Oxygen Reduction; Carbon Dioxide Reduction; Single Metal Atom

Domaines: Catalyse

Tristan Asset, Frédéric Maillard, Frederic Jaouen. Electrocatalysis with single metal atom sites in doped carbon matrices. Wiley. Supported Metal Single Atom Catalysis, , 2022. ⟨hal-03371171⟩