Methodological characterization of X-ray absorption Spectroscopy in small molecule conversion processes utilizing energy catalytic nanomaterials

Abstract

The challenges posed by environmental pollution, global warming resulting from carbon dioxide emissions, and energy scarcity jeopardize the sustainable progress of humanity. Prioritizing the advancement and sustainability of renewable energy sources is imperative to bolster global efforts promoting the displacement of fossil fuels and attaining carbon neutrality. Diverse material categories have been explored, encompassing potential applications in nitrogen reduction reactions, carbon dioxide reduction, water electrolysis, biomass conversion, and battery catalysis. These materials have undergone refinement through techniques like alloy synthesis, introduction of defects/dopants, and construction of heterostructures, resulting in significant enhancements. While many catalysts have demonstrated excellent catalytic performance in reactions such as nitrogen reduction, carbon dioxide reduction, water splitting, and biomass conversion, numerous questions regarding catalyst structure, active site functionality, and catalytic mechanisms remain unanswered. In this review, we summarize the progress of nanomaterials in energy catalytic conversion (The process where catalytic nanomaterials facilitate the conversion of energy carriers or small molecules into valuable products) of small molecules over the past five years, and systematically illustrate the characterization of nanomaterials in chemical reactions by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Utilizing XAS technology to identify the active components of catalysts, track the dynamic structural evolution of catalysts, and observe stable reaction intermediates in transition metal single-atom catalysts, transition metal oxides, and metal polycrystals. XAS shows promising potential in various fields such as carbon reduction, nitrogen reduction, biomass conversion and porous materials, garnering widespread recognition in the catalysis community.