The advanced progress of single-atom photocatalysts for energy conversion and environmental remediation

Abstract

Single-atom photocatalysts inject new vitality into the field of photocatalysis. Moreover, due to their unique properties and advantages, single-atom photocatalysts have tremendous potential to address energy crises and environmental pollution. However, the understanding of single-atom photocatalysts is still incomplete and mostly at an early stage. Therefore, there is an urgent need to summarize the advanced progress of single-atom photocatalysts for energy conversion and environmental remediation. In this review, we first introduce the mechanism of single-atom photocatalysis in environmental remediation and energy conversion. Then, we summarize the synthesis and characterization techniques of single-atom photocatalysts, which are crucial for a deeper understanding of the coordination environment and action mechanism of single-atom photocatalysts. Subsequently, we review the applications of single-atom photocatalysts in environmental remediation and energy conversion. Last but not least, we summarize the current status and challenges of single-atom photocatalysts. We hope that this review will provide new insights into the research of single-atom photocatalysts and promote their further development.