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 CO 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 CO reduction reaction (CORR) from CO adsorption and CO 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 CORR. Subsequently, the application of DACs in CORR is discussed in detail. Conclusively, the prospective trajectories and inherent challenges of CORR are expounded upon concerning the continued advancement of DACs. This thorough review not only enhances the comprehension of DACs within CORR but also accentuates the prospective developments in the design of sophisticated catalytic materials.