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DOE OSTI · 2587796

Single Metal Atom Catalysts Prepared by Diluted Atomic Layer Deposition

Shen, Kai [Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)]·Fan, Mengjie [Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)]·Liu, Zhanyuan [Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)]·Satyanand, Sakshi [Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)]·Yan, George [Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)] (ORCID:0009000238705447)·Yu, Hung-Ling [Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)]·Eisa, Mohamed [Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)]·Caratzoulas, Stavros [Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)] (ORCID:0000000195994199)·Stavitski, Eli [Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II)] (ORCID:0000000233372930)·Karim, Ayman M. [Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)] (ORCID:000000017449542X)·Vlachos, Dionisios G. [Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)] (ORCID:0000000267958403)·Gorte, Raymond J. [Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)] (ORCID:000000030879715X)·Vohs, John M. [Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000282835241)
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Abstract

The scalable and facile preparation of single-atom catalysts remains a critical challenge. Here, in this study, we introduce diluted atomic layer deposition (DALD), a unique approach for synthesizing supported metal catalysts with precisely tunable loadings. Unlike conventional metal deposition by ALD which uses pure metal precursors, DALD employs a diluted precursor mixture, combining organometallic precursors with the corresponding free ligand in controlled ratios. The method enables precise control over metal loadings, allowing the synthesis of structures ranging from nanoparticles to isolated single atoms, as exemplified by Ir, Rh, and Pt on high-surface-area γ-Al 2 O 3 . With its inherent simplicity and exceptional efficiency in metal precursor utilization, DALD represents a highly scalable strategy, unlocking opportunities for integrating single-atom catalysts into industrial processes.

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCEAluminum OxideAtomic Layer DepositionIridiumPlatinumRhodiumSingle Atom Catalysts

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Shen, Kai [Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)], Fan, Mengjie [Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)], Liu, Zhanyuan [Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)], Satyanand, Sakshi [Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)], Yan, George [Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)] (ORCID:0009000238705447), Yu, Hung-Ling [Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)], Eisa, Mohamed [Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)], Caratzoulas, Stavros [Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)] (ORCID:0000000195994199), Stavitski, Eli [Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II)] (ORCID:0000000233372930), Karim, Ayman M. [Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)] (ORCID:000000017449542X), Vlachos, Dionisios G. [Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)] (ORCID:0000000267958403), Gorte, Raymond J. [Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)] (ORCID:000000030879715X), Vohs, John M. [Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000282835241). 2025-08-15. Single Metal Atom Catalysts Prepared by Diluted Atomic Layer Deposition. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.5c10576

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