Modulating the local coordination environment of single-atom catalysts for enhanced catalytic performance

The local coordination environment of catalysts has been investigated for an extended period to obtain enhanced catalytic performance. Especially with the advancement of single-atom catalysts (SACs), research on the coordination environment has been advanced to the atomic level. The surrounding coordination atoms of central metal atoms play important roles in their catalytic activity, selectivity and stability. In recent years, remarkable improvements of the catalytic performance of SACs have been achieved by the tailoring of coordination atoms, coordination numbers and second- or higher-coordination shells, which provided new opportunities for the further development of SACs. In this review, the characterization of coordination environment, tailoring of the local coordination environment, and their related adjustable catalytic performance will be discussed. We hope this review will provide new insights on further research of SACs.