Single-Atom Catalysts Designed and Prepared by the Atomic Layer Deposition Technique

Abstract

The atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique allows the synthesis of materials at the atomic scale to be controlled. ALD has been adapted to design and prepare single-atom catalysts (SACs) with atomic-level control. The major aim of this Review is to systematize our knowledge of the synthesis of SACs by ALD and thus help the reader to extract fundamental principles for the further development of this field. Studies of metal dimers prepared by ALD are also explored. In addition, we describe the fundamental mechanism of ALD, discuss the effects of size, shape, and metal–support interactions for catalysts, and summarize the characterization techniques and preparation methods of SACs. At the end of this Review, we present an outlook of the challenges and opportunities of the synthesis of SACs by ALD.

Single-atom catalysts for high-efficiency photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical water splitting: distinctive roles, unique fabrication methods and specific design strategies

“…As a physical vapor deposition technique, atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a useful tool for the fabrication of SA-and NC-based catalysts. 36,[202][203][204] In particular, ALD also showed a capability to well control the particle size and dispersion of particles on the support and served as an efficient fabrication technique for SA-based photocatalysts and electrocatalysts for water splitting. 204,205 For instance, Cao et al have fabricated a Co 1 -N 4 SA-based photocatalyst by the ALD technique.…”

Considering single-atom catalysts as photocatalysts from synthesis to application

“…Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is demonstrated to be a precise method that can deposit the SAs on the surface of the supporting materials by alternately exposing the supports to pulsed vapors of various precursors. As the method is based on chemisorption, deposition occurs only in areas with reactive surface sites ( Fonseca and Lu, 2021 ). Generally, the ALD method includes four steps: (1) exposure to the first precursor; (2) purge of the reaction chamber; (3) exposure to the second reactant precursor; and (4) a further purge of the reaction chamber ( Cheng et al., 2016 ).…”

Dual-Sites Tandem Catalysts for C–N Bond Formation via Electrocatalytic Coupling of CO2 and Nitrogenous Small Molecules

“…The atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology has been reported as a precise method for synthesizing atomic dispersed catalytic materials. , The unique self-limiting reactions could easily avoid metal precursors from aggregation and form metal nanoparticles. For example, Lu et al developed Pt 2 -graphene DACs via the ALD method.…”