Enhanced Fenton-like catalytic performance by the interaction between nanoscale metal particles and single atom catalysts

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) exhibit unique advantages in Fenton-like reactions by virtue of their maximized atom utilization and unsaturated coordination structure. Notably, the high surface free energy leads to the inevitable generation of nanoscale metal cluster/particles (NMPs) during the synthesis of SACs. With the development of research, NMPs as a previously unappreciated by-product has been recognized as an effective strategy to enhance the catalytic performance of SACs. Therefore, it is particularly important to gain a deep understanding of the NMPs formed during the fabrication of SACs and how they interact with SACs as well as their synergistic effects in the Fenton-like process. Based on this, this review first summarizes the synthesis strategy of NMP-SACs. Immediately thereafter, the synergistic effects between NMPs and SACs sites are analyzed in depth, aiming to elucidate the mechanism behind the dominance of NMP-SACs. Subsequently, the progress of NMP-SACs in the representation of Fenton-like systems is presented. Then, several key factors facilitating the practical application of NMP-SACs are emphasized. Finally, the main challenges and prospects for development of current research are summarized to guide the design of next-generation catalysts.