Abstract:  

Single atom catalysts (SACs), as a new class of promising catalysts featuring atomically dispersed metal atoms anchored on supports, have attracted tremendous attention for their maximized atom utilization and high metal dispersity. However, single atoms are typically mobile and prone to aggregation due to their high surface free energy. Consequently, the fabrication of metal atoms that are stable during catalytic reaction remains a challenge. On the other hand, Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), as a relatively new type of porous solid materials, have been sufficiently demonstrated to be promising in catalysis because of their ultrahigh surface area, well-defined structure, accurate designability, and flexible tailorability. All of these unique properties of MOFs perfectly cater to the substrate requirement for stabilizing SACs. MOFs serve as supports for the construction of single-site catalysts; in sharp contrast, examples of MOF-supported SACs that have been reported so far are very limited. On the other hand, MOF-derived materials, with inherited (partially) characteristics of MOFs, might also serve as ideal candidates for the preparation of SACs. These MOF-derived SACs inherit the high surface area and porosity of MOFs to a large extent, which then contributes to the sufficient exposure of active sites and efficient mass transport, making them very promising in catalysis.

As the study of MOF based SACs is still in its infancy, in this talk, I would like to emphasize on the construction of MOFs and various strategies for the anchoring of single metal atoms onto MOFs and their derivatives. Furthermore, the structural characterizations and identification of MOF-based SACs and their applications in catalysis will be discussed.