Nanochanneling and Local Crystallization Engineering Accelerate Multiphase Single‐Atom Catalysis for Rapid Water Decontamination
Precise engineering of single-atom catalysts (SACs) with optimal hierarchical structures and favorable local chemical environments remains a significant challenge to cater for multiphase heterogeneous processes. Here, we develop a universal strategy for synthesizing channel-digging microspherical SACs that markedly enhance gas-liquid-solid mass transfer and fine-tune the thermodynamics of catalytic ozonation. By catalytically graphitizing carbon microspheres and selectively etching amorphous carbon domains via mild combustion, we fabricate cross-linked hierarchical graphitic nanochannels confining transition metal (e.g., Co, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni) single atoms (TMCSs-Air). This nanoenvironment engineering increases interfacial ozone (O<sub>3</sub>) mass transfer by 3.2-fold and directs O<sub>3</sub> adsorption from a conventional "end-on" to a bidental "side-on" configuration. The enhanced inter-orbital electronic interactions lower the O<sub>3</sub> activation barrier and form highly oxidizing surface-confined O<sub>3</sub> (*O<sub>3</sub>). Consequently, the CoCSs-Air catalyst achieves a 3.6-fold higher ozone utilization efficiency and a 4.2-fold greater turnover frequency (TOF = 1580 min<sup>-1</sup>) compared with pristine Co-doped carbon microspheres (CoCSs). Technical and economic evaluations further confirm the feasibility of TMCSs-Air nanoreactors in treating real-world petrochemical wastewater, highlighting its broader potential in overcoming gas diffusion barriers and tuning reaction pathways for multiphase heterogeneous catalysis.
Authors
- Xiaoguang Duan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9635-5807)
- Chunmao Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1198-2746)
- Yuxian Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4553-9272)
- Jiadong Xiao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9130-5376)
- Kunsheng Hu
- Jie Miao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1194-3269)
- Hongqi Sun (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0907-5626)
- Shaobin Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1751-9162)
- Yupeng Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4907-687X)
- Ya Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6329-5414)
- Jiajia Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6972-8708)
Institutions
- Nanjing Tech University (CN)
- The University of Western Australia (AU)
- China University of Petroleum, Beijing (CN)
- Nanjing University of Science and Technology (CN)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil (CN)
- The University of Adelaide (AU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition
- Published
- 2025-04-24
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202504571
- Citations
- 12
- Primary Topic
- Catalytic Processes in Materials Science
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 6.21