Title: Single-Atom Catalysis: From Concept to Scalable Functionality  

  Speaker: Professor Gianvito Vilé  

  Inviter: Professor Zhang Min  

  Time: July 14, 2025, 10:00—11:30  

  Venue: Conference Room, 4th Floor, Yifu Engineering Hall, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology  

  Organizer: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Report Abstract:  

  Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have emerged as a cutting-edge direction in the field of heterogeneous catalysis, demonstrating strong potential due to their ultimate atomic efficiency and unique electronic properties. This report will outline Professor Gianvito's exploration in the design and synthesis of SACs and their role in achieving sustainable chemical transformations, covering multiple aspects from fundamental mechanisms to process integration. Starting with pioneering research on customized carbon supports for anchoring stable single-atom catalysts, the speaker will explain how precise control of the coordination environment can enable the selective construction of C-O, C-N, and C-C bonds under mild conditions. The presentation will highlight recent research systems that combine SAC design with continuous flow microreactors, in situ spectroscopic techniques, and artificial intelligence-assisted screening to accelerate the discovery and scaling up of catalytic systems. Special emphasis will be placed on photocatalytic and electrochemical application scenarios, including the utilization of carbon dioxide as a resource, underscoring the central role of single-atom catalysts in achieving green distributed chemical production.

Speaker Introduction:  

  Professor Gianvito Vilé obtained his PhD from ETH Zurich in 2016. Since 2022, he has been a professor of Chemical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano, leading a research team focused on sustainable catalysis and process engineering. His research integrates atomically precise catalytic materials, continuous flow reactor technology, and automation systems to develop high-performance, scalable, and sustainable reaction platforms, particularly in the pharmaceutical application domain. After launching his independent research, he received significant support from the European Research Council, including the ERC Starting Grant in 2022 and ERC Proof of Concept funding in 2024, totaling over 6 million euros in competitive research funding over the past five years. He has received several prestigious awards, including the Alfredo di Braccio Award from the Italian National Academy of Sciences, the Robert Karl Grasselli Prize from the Italian Chemical Society for his work in catalysis, and the Felder Award from Bracco, a pharmaceutical company. In 2025, he was honored with the EFCATS Young Researcher Award from the European Federation of Catalysis Societies. He has published over 60 papers in high-profile journals such as *Nature Synthesis*, *JACS*, and *Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.*