Atomic-scale manufacturing for chemical sensing

Advanced manufacturing technologies are driving chemical sensing materials to the atomic scale. Single-atom chemical sensing materials, produced through atomic-scale manufacturing (ASM) methods, exhibit outstanding sensing performance and novel mechanisms owing to their unique physiochemical properties. The stability of single-atom site bonding and the appropriate coordination environment are crucial to the chemical sensing capabilities of single-atom catalysts (SACs). ASM methods are emerging in controlling the properties of individual atomic sites and thereby regulating their performance. Despite the immense potential of ASM methods in chemical sensing, they remain in early stages. This review systematically summarizes the recent advancements of atomic-level sensing from the perspective of ASM. Besides, we highlight the methods used to produce atomic-scale single-atom catalysts and discuss their manufacturing mechanism, chemical sensing mechanisms, and applications in chemical sensing. Moreover, the challenges and prospects of single-atom chemical sensing materials are presented from the view of atomic manufacturing.