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Dual‐Metal Interbonding as the Chemical Facilitator for Single‐Atom Dispersions
Author(s) -
Zhou Yao,
Song Erhong,
Chen Wei,
Segre Carlo U.,
Zhou Jiadong,
Lin YungChang,
Zhu Chao,
Ma Ruguang,
Liu Pan,
Chu Shufen,
Thomas Tiju,
Yang Minghui,
Liu Qian,
Suenaga Kazu,
Liu Zheng,
Liu Jianjun,
Wang Jiacheng
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.202003484
Subject(s) - materials science , catalysis , atom (system on chip) , chemical stability , nanoparticle , atomic units , metal , bimetallic strip , dispersion (optics) , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , chemical physics , chemistry , organic chemistry , metallurgy , engineering , embedded system , physics , optics , quantum mechanics , computer science
Atomically dispersed catalysts, with maximized atom utilization of expensive metal components and relatively stable ligand structures, offer high reactivity and selectivity. However, the formation of atomic‐scale metals without aggregation remains a formidable challenge due to thermodynamic stabilization driving forces. Here, a top‐down process is presented that starts from iron nanoparticles, using dual‐metal interbonds (RhFe bonding) as a chemical facilitator to spontaneously convert Fe nanoparticles to single atoms at low temperatures. The presence of RhFe bonding between adjacent Fe and Rh single atoms contributes to the thermodynamic stability, which facilitates the stripping of a single Fe atom from the Fe nanoparticles, leading to the stabilized single atom. The dual single‐atom Rh–Fe catalyst renders excellent electrocatalytic performance for the hydrogen evolution reaction in an acidic electrolyte. This discovery of dual‐metal interbonding as a chemical facilitator paves a novel route for atomic dispersion of chemical metals and the design of efficient catalysts at the atomic scale.