Boron has been explored as p-block catalysts for nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) by density functional theory. Unlike transition metals, on which the active centers need empty d orbitals to accept the lone-pair electrons of the nitrogen molecule, the sp3 hybrid orbital of the boron atom can form B-to-N π-back bonding. This results in the population of the N–N π* orbital and the concomitant decrease of the N–N bond order. We demonstrate that the catalytic activity of boron is highly correlated with the degree of charge transfer between the boron atom and the substrate. Among the 21 concept-catalysts, single boron atoms supported on graphene and substituted into h-MoS2 are identified as the most promising NRR catalysts, offering excellent energy efficiency and selectivity against hydrogen evolution reaction.

By first-principles computations, nitrogen becomes activated via distal pathway on the single Ru-atom-embedded two boron monolayers, exhibiting relatively low reaction energy barriers of 0.42 and 0.44 eV, respectively.

atoms in SACs are chemically bonded to elements on the supports. This unique structural characteristic endows SACs with strong metal support interactions (SMSIs) [6][7][8][9][10] and tailorable homogenized active metal sites. [11][12][13][14] SACs have been found to be very favorable in many fields, including electrocatalysis, [15][16][17][18] organocatalysis, [19][20][21] industrial catalysis, [22][23][24] and others. [25][26][27][28][29][30] Consequently, revealing the atomic structure of the central metal atoms and the SMSI in SACs has become an important subject of research because it provides possibilities for rational design of novel SACs for specific reactions. The recent development of advanced characterization techniques, including aberration-corrected high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (AC-HAADF-STEM), scanning tunneling microscopy images, extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) curve fitting, and DFT modeling, provide crucial tools for identifying the atomic structure. [31][32][33][34][35][36][37] Meanwhile, tremendous efforts have been devoted to exploring SMSIs in SACs and their relationship with catalytic properties. [38][39][40][41] However, a systematic understanding of SMSIs Recognizing and controlling the structure-activity relationships of singleatom catalysts (SACs) is vital for manipulating their catalytic properties for various practical applications. Herein, Fe SACs supported on nitrogen-doped carbon (SA-Fe/CN) are reported, which show high catalytic reactivity (97% degradation of bisphenol A in only 5 min), high stability (80% of reactivity maintained after five runs), and wide pH suitability (working pH range 3-11) toward Fenton-like reactions. The roles of different N species in these reactions are further explored, both experimentally and theoretically. It is discovered that graphitic N is an adsorptive site for the target molecule, pyrrolic N coordinates with Fe(III) and plays a dominant role in the reaction, and pyridinic N, coordinated with Fe(II), is only a minor contributor to the reactivity of SA-Fe/CN. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that a lower d-band center location of pyrrolic-type Fe sites leads to the easy generation of Fe-oxo intermediates, and thus, excellent catalytic properties.

This review provides an up-to-date review on Bi-based nitrogen-fixation materials and future directions for the development of new Bi-based nitrogen-fixation materials under ambient conditions.