Focused thermal energy at atomic microwave antenna sites for ecocatalysis

Abstract

Green transformation demands efficient protocols to convert renewable energy into usable forms. Microwave (MW)–driven catalytic systems offer a promising electrification strategy for chemical processes by enabling targeted, energy-efficient reactions. Unlike conventional heating, MW irradiation can localize energy at catalytic active sites. A major breakthrough is the selective MW heating of isolated metal ions or nanoparticles. This study presents a general catalyst design strategy to control MW-induced heating of single metal ions by tuning the zeolite framework and electrostatic interactions. Key structural and electronic factors governing atomic-scale energy localization are identified. Applying this approach to the reverse water-gas shift reaction results in energy efficiency improvements via targeted heating of single-ion sites. These findings mark a milestone in MW-assisted catalysis, establishing a framework for using MW energy in heterogeneous systems. The work introduces design principles for single-atom-antenna MW catalysts, advancing the development of next-generation catalytic reactors driven by electromagnetic energy.