Universal Metal-Exchange Strategy for Room Temperature Synthesis of Single-Atom Nanozymes.

Abstract

The high-temperature limitations of single-atom catalyst (SAC) synthesis, primarily thermal aggregation and low metal loadings, are overcome by a novel room-temperature metal-exchange strategy. We leverage the weak Zn-N coordination in high-loading Zn SACs (12.1 wt%, synthesized via controlled ZIF-8 pyrolysis) as a platform for the facile exchange with a broad range of metals (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ru, Pt, up to 12.67 wt%) and the creation of multi-metallic species. This ambient-temperature approach significantly reduces aggregation, enhancing the exposure of catalytic active sites and delivering superior multi-enzyme-like activities (catalase, peroxidase, oxidase). Our work not only provides a scalable, low-temperature route to high-performance SACs but also reveals crucial insights into the stability of SACs under metal-ion conditions.