Superwetting Catalysts: Principle, Design, and Synthesis

Abstract

Superwettability has revolutionized catalyst design for multiphase reactions by significantly enhancing interfacial interactions and mass transport. Here the design principles and synthesis strategies of superwetting catalysts are primarily introduced, with a particular focus on their confinement effects and mass transport mechanisms. First, the critical roles of superwettability is highlighted in facilitating efficient reactant mass transport, product desorption, and intermediate confinement within catalysts, which are pivotal for optimizing multiphase reaction systems. Besides, the key strategies, including physical mixing and chemical modification, are summarized to engineer superwettability interfaces in catalysts. Particular attention is given to wettability regulation in porous materials such as molecular sieves, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), and single-atom catalysts (SACs), emphasizing its effect on improving mass transport and confinement effects. The materials used for superwetting catalysts design are summarized. Finally, future directions, including large-scale fabrication of superwetting membrane reactors, dynamic wettability tuning under operational conditions, and advanced in situ characterization techniques to capture real-time triple-phase interfacial phenomena, are outlined. These advancements are poised to expand the application of superwetting catalysts in sustainable energy, environmental remediation, and industrial catalysis, addressing key challenges in multiphase reaction systems.