Scientists propose a dynamic charge and oxidation state for single-atom catalysts

Pollutants coming out of cars' exhausts are harmful to the environment and public health. With the goal of overall curbing car emissions, the US Department of Energy (DOE) issued a challenge to scientists worldwide: catalytically converting 90 percent of all critical pollutants (hydrocarbons, CO2, NOx etc.) in car exhaust into less harmful substances at 150ºC. However, nanoparticle based heterogeneous catalysts—like the three-way exhaust catalyst used in cars—work best at high temperatures (between 200 and 400ºC), thus making the 150ºC DOE challenge seem difficult to attain.