Tailoring microenvironments of single-atom catalysts with non-metal p-block elements for selective environmental processes

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have emerged as promising materials for efficient environmental remediation due to their unique properties and high catalytic efficiency. The incorporation of non-metal p-block elements into the SACs framework imparts distinct electronic and chemical properties, holding promise toward highly selective catalysis. This review provides fundamentals and strategies for tailoring the microenvironments of SACs with non-metal p-block elements toward selective environmental processes. Significantly, a bridge between the doping elements and catalytic selectivity is built by exploring the impacts of their characteristics on the geometric and electronic structures of SACs, including bulk physicochemical properties, local electronic effects, and adsorption configuration and intensity of intermediates. In-depth explorations of how these elements’ incorporation affects the performance of SACs are presented for the selective generation of H₂O₂ via oxygen reduction, selective generation of radicals via persulfate (PS)-based advanced oxidation processes, and selective reduction of CO₂. Challenges and opportunities associated with tailoring the microenvironments of SACs are finally discussed. This review will help guide the rational design of SACs with superior performance for selective environmental processes to better deal with environmental concerns.