Topic: Atomic- and Nano-Scale Electrocatalysts for Energy Sustainability

In the pursuit of sustainable energy, atomic- and nano-scale (ANS) electrocatalysts are pivotal in driving innovations in energy conversion, storage, and fuel technologies. In particular, single-atom catalysts (SACs), featuring isolated metal atoms, maximize catalytic activity while reducing material usage. These catalysts enhance key reactions across various clean energy technologies, making them essential for advancing sustainable energy solutions.

This Special Issue explores the role of ANS electrocatalysts, including SACs, in advancing fuel cells, water splitting, CO₂ reduction, hydrogen storage, metal-air batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, and other sustainable energy applications.

In fuel cells, ANS electrocatalysts improve the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR), reducing the need for precious metals such as platinum while maintaining high activity. This makes fuel cells more scalable and cost-effective for large-scale energy production. In water splitting, ANS electrocatalysts drive the hydrogen (HER) and oxygen evolution reactions (OER), enhancing the efficiency of proton exchange membranes and alkaline electrolyzers for hydrogen production. ANS electrocatalysts also play a critical role in CO₂ reduction, converting CO₂ into valuable fuels and chemicals while contributing to carbon capture and utilization. In hydrogen storage, ANS electrocatalysts optimize adsorption and desorption processes, improving storage capacity and making hydrogen storage safer and more efficient for fuel applications. In energy storage systems, ANS catalysts enhance the performance of metal-air and lithium-sulfur batteries by improving ORR/OER efficiency, sulfur utilization, and cycle stability, resulting in longer battery life and higher energy densities.

We invite contributions that cover:

1. Synthesis and Characterization: Developing methods to synthesize ANS catalysts and characterize their properties;

2. Mechanistic Studies: Investigating catalytic mechanisms and using computational methods to predict behavior;

3. Application and Performance: Integrating catalysts into various applications and evaluating real-world performance;

4. Sustainability and Scalability: Exploring the environmental impact and cost-effective production of these catalysts.