Design, Synthesis, and Applications of Atomically Precise Photocatalysts

作者：Liyan Cheng, B. Li, Chou-Hung Hsueh, Qing Peng, Chen Chen · 发表于：Accounts of Materials Research · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1021/accountsmr.5c00222 · 被引用次数：9 · 研究领域：Catalytic Processes in Materials Science、Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques、Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion

Conspectus Photocatalysis represents a cornerstone of sustainable chemistry. It provides a promising green and highly efficient catalytic pathway for harnessing solar energy to drive crucial chemical reactions, including water splitting, CO 2 reduction, and pollutant degradation. Nevertheless, the widespread industrial deployment of this technology still encounters considerable challenges. The main limitations include the inherently low density of accessible catalytic active sites on conventional photocatalyst surfaces. In addition, the rapid and undesired recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs significantly diminishes quantum efficiency before these charge carriers can engage in surface reactions. As fundamental research in photocatalysis has advanced, the underlying mechanisms governing light absorption, charge generation, separation, migration, and surface reactions have been progressively elucidated. As a result, research is now focused on band structure engineering and recombination suppression to enhance photocatalytic performance. In this context, single-atom catalysts (SACs) have emerged as a particularly suitable and revolutionary approach. SACs feature isolated metal atoms anchored onto a supporting substrate, achieving near 100% atomic utilization efficiency. The unique and strong interactions formed between the dispersed metal atoms, the support material, and the reactants can lead to the creation of novel, highly active catalytic sites. Crucially, th...