Dual-atom catalysts for oxygen electrocatalysis

Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are involved in various electrochemical devices but are severely sluggish in kinetics. Dual-atom catalysts demonstrate unique advantages in terms of high intrinsic electrocatalytic activity, maximum atomic efficiency, high chemical diversity, and positive synergy between the dual atoms. As a result, dual-atom catalysts have attracted wide-spread attention as advanced ORR and OER electrocatalysts. This review systematically summarizes the current advances of dual-atom catalysts for ORR and OER electrocatalysis. The intrinsic advantages of dual-atom catalysts are first discussed following three proposed mechanisms focusing on the electronic structure of active sites. The structure–activity relationship is comprehensively discussed based on theoretical simulations and experimental results to afford a methodology for rational structural design. Following that, the current synthesis methods and a transverse performance comparison are presented. Finally, several perspectives are highlighted for propelling the development of advanced dual-atom catalysts for ORR and OER electrocatalysis.