Strategies for Achieving Carbon Neutrality: Dual-Atom Catalysts in Focus

Carbon neutrality is a fundamental strategy for achieving the sustainable development of human society. Catalyzing CO₂ reduction into various high-value-added fuels serves as an effective pathway to achieve this strategic objective. Atom-dispersed catalysts have received extensive attention due to their maximum atomic utilization, high catalytic selectivity, and exceptional catalytic performance. Dual-atom catalysts (DACs), as an extension of single-atom catalysts (SACs), not only retain the advantages of SACs, but also produce many new properties. This review initiates its exploration by elucidating the mechanism of CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR) from CO₂ adsorption and CO₂ activation. Then, a comprehensive summary of recently developed preparation methods of DACs is presented. Importantly, the mechanisms underlying the promoted catalytic performance of DACs in comparison to SACs are subjected to a comprehensive analysis from adjustable adsorption capacity, tunable electronic structure, strong synergistic effect, and enhanced spacing effect, elucidating their respective superiorities in CO₂RR. Subsequently, the application of DACs in CO₂RR is discussed in detail. Conclusively, the prospective trajectories and inherent challenges of CO₂RR are expounded upon concerning the continued advancement of DACs. This thorough review not only enhances the comprehension of DACs within CO₂RR but also accentuates the prospective developments in the design of sophisticated catalytic materials.