Thermally Stable Single-Atom Catalysts for Catalytic Processes

Abstract

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have gained significant attention in energy, environmental, and material sciences due to their high atom efficiency and unique properties. Several methods, including impregnation, pyrolysis, atom trapping, and coprecipitation, have been developed for SAC preparation. However, under typical reaction conditions, single atoms tend to migrate or agglomerate into nanoclusters or nanoparticles, reducing surface free energy. To address this, strategies to enhance SACs' thermal stability and catalytic performance are essential. In this presentation, we highlight recent advances in thermally durable SACs prepared via atom trapping and nanoglue confinement. We explore activation techniques, such as hydrothermal treatment to modify the single-atom environment, CO treatment for near-room-temperature oxygen activation, and asymmetric coordination of single atoms. Additionally, we discuss SAC synthesis on reducible oxides like ceria and non-reducible oxides such as MgAl2O4  spinel. Key topics include 2D metal rafts formed by atom trapping, self-healing catalysts, and precise manipulation of metal-support interactions for improved catalytic reactivity.

Biography

Dr. Yong Wang is a Regents Professor and Voiland Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering at Washington State University (WSU) and a Laboratory Fellow and Associate Director of the Institute for Integrated Catalysis at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). He is renowned for pioneering novel catalytic materials and reaction engineering solutions to improve energy and atom efficiency in converting fossil fuels, biomass, CO2, and waste plastics into fuels and chemicals. His work spans fundamental research to industrial applications, driving advancements in sustainable technologies to address pressing global energy, resource, and environmental challenges. Dr. Wang has authored over 440 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals, including Science (3), Nature (2), and Angewandte Chemie International Edition, with an H-index of 101 and 45,633 citations (as of Sept. 30, 2024). He is listed as a Highly Cited Researcher by Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics). He also holds 285 issued patents, including 111 U.S. patents, with over 90% licensed to industry. His inventions have made a significant industrial impact, notably through the commercial Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) process, which converts renewable plant-based glycerol into 100,000 metric tons per year of propylene glycol, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 61% compared to petroleum-based processes. He also co-founded Velocys, a leader in compact reactor technology for sustainable fuel production, based on his team's innovations.  Dr. Wang is a Fellow of AIChE, ACS, RSC, AAAS, and National Academy of Inventors. His numerous honors include the 2021 ACS E.V. Murphree Award in Industrial Chemistry & Engineering, the 2019 AIChE Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Practice Award, the 2006 Asian American Engineer of the Year Award, the Presidential Green Chemistry Award, and three R&D 100 Awards. He has served as Chair of the ACS Energy & Fuels Division and Director of the AIChE Catalysis & Reaction Engineering Division. Currently, he is Co-Editor-in-Chief of Applied Catalysis B: Environmental and Energy and Executive Editor of the Chemical Engineering Journal.