Remarkable performance of Ir₁/FeO_x single-atom catalyst in water gas shift reaction

High specific activity and cost effectiveness of single-atom catalysts hold practical value for water gas shift (WGS) reaction toward hydrogen energy. We reported the preparation and characterization of Ir single atoms supported on FeO_x (Ir₁/FeO_x) catalysts, the activity of which is 1 order of magnitude higher than its cluster or nanoparticle counterparts and is even higher than those of the most active Au- or Pt-based catalysts. Extensive studies reveal that the single atoms accounted for ∼70% of the total activity of catalysts containing single atoms, subnano clusters, and nanoparticles, thus serving as the most important active sites. The Ir single atoms seem to greatly enhance the reducibility of the FeO_x support and generation of oxygen vacancies, leading to the excellent performance of the Ir₁/FeO_x single-atom catalyst. The results have broad implications on designing supported metal catalysts with better performance and lower cost.