Professor Sam Hsu Leads Breakthrough Study on Self-Repairing Single-Atom Catalysts in Advanced Materials
The School of Energy and Environment (SEE) at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) is pleased to announce a significant research breakthrough led by Prof. Sam Hsien-Yi HSU. The study, titled “Photoresponsive Adaptive Reconfiguration of Single-Atom Interface With Intermittent Light and Soft Ionic Lattices”, has been published in the prestigious journal Advanced Materials.
This impactful work introduces a new paradigm for stabilizing single-atom catalysts (SACs), which are highly valued for their exceptional atom efficiency but prone to deactivation through aggregation or dissolution. The research team leveraged the soft ionic lattice and reversible dissolution–precipitation chemistry of halide perovskites to develop a bandgap-funnel architecture in mixed-halide MAPb(BrxI1-x)3.
This innovative design directs photogenerated carriers to atomically dispersed platinum (Pt) sites, while a programmable intermittent illumination strategy enables continuous regeneration of the catalytic interface. Under light, Pt single atoms are stably anchored for efficient hydrogen halide splitting; during dark periods, loosely bound species dissolve, preventing cluster formation and refreshing the surface.
These findings represent an important advancement in catalysis science, demonstrating that ion mobility in perovskites—traditionally regarded as a stability limitation—can be harnessed as a functional mechanism for smart, self-repairing catalyst design. The adaptive reconfiguration mechanism enabled sustained hydrogen evolution at an average rate of 851 µmol h⁻¹ under visible light, with an apparent quantum yield of 15.5% at 450 nm, and maintained consistent activity over 72 hours of programmed light-dark cycling.
Advanced characterization, including synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy and aberration-corrected STEM, confirmed the atomic-level coordination of Pt and elucidated the light-regulated dissolution–redeposition dynamics.
Prof. Hsu's contribution reflects SEE's strong commitment to advancing operando characterization, ultrafast photophysical spectroscopy, clean energy technologies, and sustainable catalysis, reinforcing CityUHK's position as a leader in environmental and energy research.
The full article is available in Advanced Materials: https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adma.202518557