Structural regulation of single-atom catalysts for enhanced catalytic oxidation performance of volatile organic compounds

The catalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is considered a feasible method for VOCs treatment by virtue of its low technical cost, high economic efficiency, and low additionally produced pollutants, which is of important social value. Single-atom catalysts (SACs) with 100% atom utilization and uniform active sites usually have high activity and high product selectivity, and promise a broad range of applications. Precise regulation of the microstructures of SACs by means of defect engineering, interface engineering, and electronic effects can further improve the catalytic performance of VOCs oxidation. In this review, we introduce the mechanisms of VOCs oxidation, and systematically summarize the recent research progress of SACs in catalytic VOCs total oxidation into CO2 and H2O, and then discuss the effects of various structural regulation strategies on the catalytic performance. Finally, we summarize the current problems yet to be solved and challenges currently faced in this field, and propose future design and research ideas for SACs in catalytic oxidation of VOCs.