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Current-assisted dual-atom catalyst sequentially boosts low-temperature propane combustion through atomic relay

Nature Chemistry volume 18, pages 445–456 (2026)Cite this article

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Abstract

Single-atom catalysts maximize atomic utilization but the limited diversity of their functional sites presents challenges in multistep combustion processes, particularly for low-carbon alkanes with high C–H bond energies. Here we synthesized a dual-atom Pt–Nb catalyst using antimony tin oxide for low-temperature propane activation and combustion using a current-assisted strategy. This catalytic system achieves complete propane conversion at low temperatures (T90 < 200 °C), with a high turnover frequency at 220 °C of 27.67 × 10−3 s−1. Moreover, the catalyst exhibits outstanding water resistance and significantly reduces the use of precious metal by over 80% under current assistance. Further systematic in situ experiments and theoretical simulations indicate that the proximity of current-assisted niobium atoms to platinum atoms facilitates the dissociation of C–H bonds in propane and the desorption of carbon dioxide, while the electric current weakens the Pt–O bonds near the niobium side, promoting the activation and release of lattice oxygen. This stepwise-boosting, current-assisted atomic relay mechanism offers a promising strategy for developing next-generation green catalysts.

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Fig. 1: Fine structure characterization of Pt1–Nb1/ATO catalyst.
Fig. 2: Catalytic performance of propane combustion.
Fig. 3: Effect of active site configuration on CA propane combustion.
Fig. 4: Role of the CA strategy in the propane catalytic combustion process.
Fig. 5: Micromechanistic study of Pt1 and Nb1 sites during CA catalytic combustion of propane.
Fig. 6: DFT calculations and proposed mechanism for CA dual-atom catalysis.

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The data supporting the findings of this study are available within the Article and its Supplementary Information. The raw data for the figures in this paper are provided in the Source Data and are publicly available. Source data are provided with this paper.

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Acknowledgements

All authors appreciate the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52304429 (K.L.), 22472178 (Y.Z.) and 22176185 (X.Y.)), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFB3504200), the Jiangxi Provincial Key Research and Development Program (20232BBG70012), the Jiangxi Province ‘Gan-Po Talent Support Program’ (20243BCE51160), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province for Distinguished Young Scholars (20232ACB213004), the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences (2018263), the Jiangxi Province ‘Double Thousand Plan’ (jxsq2020101047), the Science & Technology Cooperation Program for High-Tech Industrialization between Jilin Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences (2025SYH0036) and the Research Projects of Ganjiang Innovation Academy, Chinese Academy of Sciences (E355C001). The authors acknowledge J. Ding for his expert technical support with the XAS experiments and data analysis.

Author information

Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Yangfei Fang, Xinyu Han, Kaijie Liu 刘凯杰.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Rare Earths, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China

    Yangfei Fang, Xinyu Han, Kaijie Liu  (刘凯杰), Zhaoxu Yuan, Yannan Li, Songyun Tao, Zeshu Zhang, Xiangguang Yang, Yibo Zhang  (张一波) & Wuping Liao  (廖伍平)

  2. Ganjiang Innovation Academy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ganzhou, China

    Yangfei Fang, Xinyu Han, Kaijie Liu  (刘凯杰), Zhaoxu Yuan, Yannan Li, Songyun Tao, Zeshu Zhang, Cheng Rao, Qi Fu, Guan Peng, Xiangguang Yang, Yibo Zhang  (张一波) & Wuping Liao  (廖伍平)

  3. Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

    Dingsheng Wang

  4. Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China

    Yibo Zhang  (张一波) & Wuping Liao  (廖伍平)

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  1. Yangfei Fang
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Contributions

K.L. and Y.Z. conceptualized and designed the experiments. Y.F. and K.L. synthesized the materials. Y.F. and X.H. conducted catalytic activity tests. K.L., Y.Z. and Y.F. designed and analysed the CA in situ characterization. Y.F. and K.L. performed the IOE experiments. Y.F., K.L., X.H., Z.Y., Y.L., S.T., Z.Z., C.R., Q.F., G.P. and Y.Z. performed comprehensive characterizations (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, XRD, XPS, ICP-OES, STEM/HRTEM imaging, TOF-SIMS, Raman, NH3/CO2/C3H8-TPD, C3H8-TPSR, DRIFTS, etc.). Y.F. and X.H. assisted with the XAS data analysis. X.H. and G.P. conducted DFT calculations. K.L. and X.H. analysed the DFT results. K.L. and Y.F. visualized the data and authored the initial manuscript draft. K.L., Y.Z. and D.W. discussed and revised the manuscript. K.L. managed all review responses and formatting revisions. Y.F. and K.L. carried out additional experiments requested by reviewers. K.L., Y.Z., X.Y. and W.L. secured funding and provided raw materials for this study. X.Y., Y.Z. and W.L. supervised the project. K.L. and Y.Z. managed the project. All authors commented on the manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Kaijie Liu  (刘凯杰), Yibo Zhang  (张一波) or Wuping Liao  (廖伍平).

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Nature Chemistry thanks Xiaoming Sun and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Supplementary information

Supplementary Information (download PDF )

Supplementary Methods and Discussion, Figs. 1–52 and Tables 1–16.

Source data

Source Data Fig. 1 (download XLSX )

HAADF-STEM images, EDS mapping data, In situ DRIFTS spectra, TOF-SIMS spectrum, Z-contrast intensity profiles, XANES spectra, FT-EXAFS data, WT-EXAFS data, Computational energy data.

Source Data Fig. 2 (download XLSX )

Catalytic performance data, Catalytic stability test data, Water vapour resistance test data, Toluene and propene catalytic combustion activity data, TOF and T50 comparison data, Long-term stability data, Reaction rate stability data.

Source Data Fig. 3 (download XLSX )

Catalytic performance data, EXAFS-derived coordination numbers for Pt, Nb, and Sn, HAADF-STEM images, Elemental mapping data.

Source Data Fig. 4 (download XLSX )

In situ DRIFTS spectra, Infrared thermography images, Kinetic data for Arrhenius plots, C3H8-TPSR profiles.

Source Data Fig. 5 (download XLSX )

H2-TPR profiles, Isotopic oxygen exchange test data, CA in situ XPS spectra of Pt 4 f, MS signal data of H2O from C3H8-TPSR, DFT-calculated C–H bond dissociation energy barriers, CO2-TPD profiles.

Source Data Fig. 6 (download XLSX )

DFT-calculated structural models, Projected density of states data.

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Fang, Y., Han, X., Liu, K. et al. Current-assisted dual-atom catalyst sequentially boosts low-temperature propane combustion through atomic relay. Nat. Chem. 18, 445–456 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-025-02062-w

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