Isolated Single Atoms Anchored on N-Doped Carbon Materials as a Highly Efficient Catalyst for Electrochemical and Organic Reactions

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) with atomic dispersion and coordinated unsaturated active sites have sparked gigantic attention, focusing on high activity, selectivity, atom utilization, and a unique metal–support coordination environment. However, isolated single atoms possess high surface free energy, especially under harsh reaction conditions, and tend to migrate and agglomerate into clusters or nanoparticles in an elusive manner. Herein, we have integrated different types of N-doped carbon (N-C) materials as Lewis base sites to anchor dispersed metal atoms. The lone pairs of electrons donated by N-rich materials effectively resist metal sintering. The matrix includes organic compounds, MOFs, N-doped graphene, g-C3N4, and biomass. Furthermore, we also emphasized the application of N-C material-based SACs in ORR, OER, HER, organic reactions, and CO2RR. Beneficially, these establish a definitive correlation between construction strategy and catalytic performance. Finally, we review the staged challenges and development opportunities confronted by SACs and pave the way for balancing the electronic structure and catalytic properties of SACs supported on derived N-C materials.