Graphene oxide-derived single-atom catalysts for electrochemical energy conversion

Sustainable electrochemical energy conversion is considered as a promising solution to energy crises and environmental issues. Owing to their maximized utilization efficiency and excellent catalytic performance, single-atom catalysts(SACs) have obtained tremendous attention in the field of electrochemical energy conversion. In the last few years, graphene oxide(GO) has been considered to be a promising precursor for fabricating graphene-supported SACs due to its advantageous features such as large surface area, high density of intrinsic defects, and scalability. In this review, the recent advances in the preparation of graphene oxide-derived single-atom catalysts(GO-SACs) and their diverse electrochemical applications are summarized.Firstly, the synthetic strategies of GO-SACs are discussed with focuses on the advantages and shortages of each method. Subsequently, the electrochemical applications of GO-SACs in various energy conversion processes,including the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR), oxygen evolution reaction(OER), hydrogen evolution reaction(HER), nitrogen reduction reaction(NRR), and carbon dioxide reduction reaction(CO2RR), are discussed in detail. Finally, the remaining challenges and future prospects in the fabrication and application of GO-SACs are presented.