Metal single-atom catalysts are becoming very popular owing to their remarkable and fascinating atomic-scale utilization efficiency, electrocatalytic activity, and selectivity. Because of their compositional and structural tunability, as well as their unique electronic nature, single-atom catalysts (SACs) are promising new types of catalytic materials. Extensive research is being conducted to design and develop highly efficient SACs for various electrocatalytic applications. This review aims to provide a thorough understanding of the fundamentals, challenges and activity improvement strategies of SACs. Further, this review summarizes the recent advances in the design and development of SACs for applications in electrocatalysis. The diverse utilization of SACs in electrocatalysis is discussed through the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR), and nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). Besides, the basic mechanisms and applications of SACs in electrocatalysis are discussed in detail. In addition, prospects for improving SACs activity and selectivity are also thoroughly discussed.

金属单原子催化剂因其卓越而迷人的原子级利用效率、电催化活性和选择性而变得非常受欢迎。由于其组成和结构的可调性，以及它们独特的电子性质，单原子催化剂 (SAC) 是很有前途的新型催化材料。正在进行广泛的研究以设计和开发用于各种电催化应用的高效 SAC。本综述旨在提供对 SAC 的基本原理、挑战和活动改进策略的透彻理解。此外，这篇综述总结了用于电催化应用的 SAC 设计和开发的最新进展。通过析氧反应 (OER) 讨论了 SAC 在电催化中的多样化应用，₂ RR）和氮还原反应（NRR）。此外，详细讨论了SACs在电催化中的基本机制和应用。此外，还深入讨论了提高 SAC 活性和选择性的前景。