Catalytic applications of single-atom metal-anchored hydroxides: Recent advances and perspective

Developing isolated single atomic noble metal catalysts is one of the most effective methods to maximize noble metal atom utilization efficiency and enhance catalytic performances. Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are two-dimensional nanoarchitectures in which M³⁺ and M²⁺ sites are atomically isolated due to static repulsions, providing special anchoring sites for single noble metal atoms and enabling the tuning of catalytic activity. Herein, a comprehensive review of the advances in LDHs supported single-atom catalysts (M/LDH SACs) is presented, focusing on the synthetic strategies, structure characterization, and application of M/LDH SACs in energy devices. Strong electronic coupling between single atomic noble metal atoms and corresponding anchoring sites of LDHs determines not only the catalytic activity of M/LDH SACs but also the stability during catalytic reactions. Furthermore, a perspective is proposed to highlight the challenges and opportunities for understanding the reaction mechanism and development of highly efficient M/LDH SACs.