Progress in the high-temperature synthesis of atomically dispersed metal on carbon and understanding of their formation mechanism

The development of various high-performance electrochemical devices is crucial for mitigating the global climate crisis, and thus the design and fabrication of advanced electrode materials is highly significant. Currently, atomically dispersed metal on catalysts (ADMCs) have shown great potential in boosting the performance of various energy storage/conversion devices involving aqueous and aprotic catalytic processes, including fuel cells, water electrolyzers, CO2 electrolyzers, metal-air batteries, and metal-sulfur batteries, as well as systems involving noncatalytic deposition/adsorption of metals. To date, several reliable fabrication methodologies that can ensure the formation of ADMCs have been demonstrated, and continuous optimization is still being performed. To further reinforce the basic scientific research and promote possible practical applications of these materials, we have analyzed, compared, and summarized progress in the fabrication methodology and formation mechanism of ADMCs in this review. This review aims to draw a comprehensive picture of the current methodology and underlying mechanism in the field of material fabrication to serve as guidance for future material design.