Thermally-Driven Fabrication of Single-Atom Catalysts from Bulk Metal Foil for Oxygen Reduction

Abstract

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have garnered significant attention across multiple catalytic domains, owing to their unparalleled atomic efficiency and remarkable catalytic capabilities. In this study, we introduce a straightforward method for synthesizing SACs by thermally inducing bulk Fe foil to release Fe active species. Initially, dopamine (DA) and dicyandiamide (DCDA) undergo carbonization, resulting in the formation of C supports enriched with N-defects. When heated to 800 °C, the Fe foil thermally emits Fe atoms, which are efficiently trapped by the N-rich defective C supports, ultimately yielding Fe SACs. This innovative technique offers a flexible and cost-effective platform for SAC production, holding promise for diverse industrial applications. The resulting SACs, denoted as Fe-800, demonstrate a 4e- ORR pathway in both 0.1 M KOH and 0.5 M H2SO4 solutions. Notably, Fe-800 exhibits comparable ORR activity to 20% Pt/C, marking it as a high-performing catalyst. Additionally, both Fe-800 and Fe-900 display notable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity.