Fully Exposed Cluster Catalyst (FECC): Toward Rich Surface Sites and Full Atom Utilization Efficiency

Abstract

Increasing attention has been paid to single-atom catalysts (SACs) in heterogeneous catalysis because of their unique electronic properties, maximized atomic utilization efficiency, and potential to serve as a bridge between the heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis. However, SACs can have limited advantages or even constrained applications for the reactions that require designated metallic states with multiple atoms or surface sites with metal–metal bonds. As a cross-dimensional extension to the concept of SACs, fully exposed cluster catalysts (FECCs) offer diverse surface sites formed by an ensemble of metal atoms, for the adsorption and transformation of reactants/intermediates. More importantly, FECCs have the advantage of maximized atom utilization efficiency. Thus, FECCs provide a novel platform to design effective and efficient catalysts for certain chemical processes. This outlook summarizes recent advances and proposes prospective research directions in the design of catalysts and characterizations of FECCs, together with potential challenges.

Electrocatalytic Refinery for Sustainable Production of Fuels and Chemicals

“…[84] Them etal-support interface and catalytic performance is highly influenced by the size and configuration of supported metals. [171,172] As an intermediate state between single-atom catalysts and nanoparticles,t he supported single cluster catalysts and fully exposed cluster catalysts have emerged as appealing candidates,o wing to the maximized atom utilization efficiency, abundant interfacial sites,a nd an ensemble of metal sites with various structural and catalytic possibilities. [171,173]…”

Modulating Pt-O-Pt atomic clusters with isolated cobalt atoms for enhanced hydrogen evolution catalysis

“…Further modulation of the metal sites within SACs at the atomic level by introducing neighbouring metal atoms may provide an opportunity to further boost their intrinsic catalytic activity. Recently, atomic clusters (ACs) composed of several surface metal atoms have attracted increased research interest 17 – 20 . Metal ACs can offer the active sites with adjacent metal atoms while maintaining them as individual sites thereby maximizing the metal utilization efficiency.…”

Tailoring Single‐Atom Platinum for Selective and Stable Catalysts in Propane Dehydrogenation

“…On the basis of foregoing, the optimal structure of Pt for selective alkane dehydrogenation may be an entirely isolated Pt atom. Single‐atom catalysts (SACs), in which active metal atoms are entirely isolated from the support, are experiencing a gold rush in catalysis due to their superior catalytic performance and high degree of atom utilization [26–31] . Notably, the single‐atoms are strongly attached via electron transfer from metal to support, resulting in electron‐deficient metal atoms with no metal ensembles [32] .…”

“…Single-atom catalysts (SACs), in which active metal atoms are entirely isolated from the support, are experiencing a gold rush in catalysis due to their superior catalytic performance and high degree of atom utilization. [26][27][28][29][30][31] Notably, the single-atoms are strongly attached via electron transfer from metal to support, resulting in electron-deficient metal atoms with no metal ensembles. [32] Due to the absence of neighboring Pt, it is envisaged that single-atom Pt (Pt 1 ) will serve as a potential active site for PDH catalysis.…”