Application Potential of Single-Atom Catalysts in Electrocatalytic Reaction
A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy and Catalysis".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 45
Special Issue Editors
Interests: condensed matter physics; computational physics; simulation and design of energy catalytic chemical materials
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Single-atom catalysts (SACs) represent a rapidly advancing development in electrocatalysis, combining the benefits of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis through the stabilization of isolated metal atoms on well-engineered supports. Their unique atomically dispersed active sites, highly tuneable coordination environments, and exceptional metal utilization efficiency offer remarkable advantages in catalytic activity, selectivity, and stability.
As the global demand for efficient, sustainable, and carbon-neutral energy technologies continues to grow, SACs have demonstrated significant promise in a wide range of electrocatalytic reactions. These include the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR), and nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), which are essential processes in water splitting, fuel cells, metal–air batteries, and electrochemical CO2 conversion. Their controlled electronic structure, strong metal support interactions, and uniform reaction sites make SACs ideal candidates for next-generation electrocatalytic systems.
The aim of this Special Issue, ‘Application Potential of Single-Atom Catalysts in Electrocatalytic Reaction,’ is to highlight recent progress in the synthesis, characterization, theoretical modeling, and practical applications of SACs. We encourage submissions that explore fundamental mechanisms, innovative catalyst designs, and strategies to enhance the performance and stability of SACs.
This Special Issue welcomes original research articles, short communications, and review papers focusing on the design, development, and electrocatalytic applications of single-atom catalysts. Contributions involving computational simulations, advanced characterization techniques, mechanistic studies, or experimental applications are highly encouraged.
Topics of interest in this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER);
- Oxygen evolution reaction (OER);
- Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR);
- Carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR);
- Nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR);
- Electrochemical water splitting and hydrogen production;
- Fuel cells and metal–air battery electrocatalysis;
- Metal support interactions and coordination environment tuning;
- DFT studies on reaction pathways and catalytic mechanisms;
- Advanced spectroscopic and microscopic characterization of SACs.
We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions to advance the understanding and application of atomic-level catalysis in modern electrochemical energy technologies.
Prof. Dr. Zhansheng Lu
Dr. Xu Zhang
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- single-atom catalysts
- electrocatalysis
- hydrogen evolution (HER)
- oxygen evolution (OER)
- oxygen reduction (ORR)
- CO2 reduction
- nitrogen reduction (NRR)
- DFT modeling
- metal support interactions
- catalytic mechanisms
- energy conversion
- fuel cells
- green hydrogen
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