Recent advances on CO2 reduction reactions using single-atom catalysts

Abstract

The reduction processes can transform CO2 into value-added products, which have shown great potential for CO2 utilization and global warming mitigation. The single-atom catalysts are considered promising in the field of thermocatalytic, electrocatalytic, and photocatalytic CO2 reduction, due to the high atom utilization and catalysis efficiency. The primary concern of CO2 reduction reactions in the presence of single-atom catalysts is product selectivity and C–C coupling. In this review, the advances in efficient single-atom catalysts for CO2 reduction reactions have been summarized. The thermodynamics of CO2 reduction reactions were described briefly, and the commonly used fabrication methods and characterization techniques of single-atom catalysts were presented. Then, the major advances in single-atom catalysts with high efficiencies were summarized in the main body of this review based on support materials, and the coordination environment was discussed particularly. A comparison of the diverse single-atom catalysts was performed with the superiorities and inferiorities. Based on recent research advances, the summaries and outlooks for further investigations on single-atom catalysts for CO2 reduction reactions were proposed. This review gives an overview of CO2 reduction reactions with single-atom catalysts, including synthesis, characterization, performance, challenges, and prospects. This work can make contributions to comprehension and new progresses in CO2 reduction reaction with single-atom catalysts.