Advances and challenges in discharge plasma-assisted catalyst synthesis and surface engineering

The application of discharge plasma in catalyst preparation and modification is reviewed in this paper. Catalysts play a crucial role in various fields, and discharge plasma, with its unique physicochemical properties and environmental friendliness, shows great potential in the preparation and surface engineering of catalysts. Plasma can effectively activate reactant molecules under mild conditions, thereby enhancing the reaction rate, and regulate the microstructure and active site distribution of the catalysts, thereby improving the performance of specific catalytic reactions. In this paper, different plasma sources and discharge fundamentals are reviewed, mainly emphasising on the application of plasma in catalysts preparation and surface modification. The advantages and applications of plasma-assisted catalyst synthesis, plasma chemical vapor deposition and plasma atomic layer deposition are discussed. The modification effects of plasma on the physical and chemical properties of catalysts are analyzed, and the effects of these modifications on different reaction types and their mechanisms are outlined. Finally, future research directions and challenges are discussed to offer reference for the development of discharge plasma technology in material and catalysis sciences.