Heterogenous catalysts are widely used for the synthesis of commodity and specialty chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. Tuning the physical and electronic structure of heterogeneous catalysts, by increasing surface-active sites, for example, can optimize their performance. However, it remains a challenge to prepare such catalysts whilst avoiding undesirable losses in active areas.
This technology enables the production of atomically dispersed transition metal catalysts embedded within nitrogen-doped carbon matrices, designed primarily for high-performance fuel cell applications. This solution is differentiated by its unique combination of atomic-level metal dispersion, scalable and versatile synthesis, and cost-effectiveness. Unlike conventional catalysts that rely on expensive and scarce platinum group metals, this approach uses earth-abundant transition metals without sacrificing catalytic performance. The method’s adaptability allows for the creation of single, binary, or ternary metal systems, enabling precise tuning of catalyst properties for specific applications. The hollow, porous structure not only provides a high density of accessible active sites but also facilitates efficient mass and electron transport, which is crucial for high-rate electrochemical reactions
Synthetic scheme for preparation of β-Mo2C@NPCC