Bright Sparks of Single-Atom and Nano-Islands in Catalysis: Breaking Activity-Stability Trade-Off

• Single-atom nano-islands architecture enables “moving but not aggregation” of single atoms, fundamentally overcoming the inherent activity-stability trade-off in single-atom catalysts. • Systematic synthesis strategies and multi-scale stabilization mechanisms for single-atom nano-islands are detailed, including one-step and two-step approaches, alongside electronic structure modulation via nano-island interactions. • Single-atom nano-islands demonstrate exceptional performance across diverse catalytic applications, including batteries, clean energy production, chemical synthesis, and environmental catalysis, establishing robust structure-activity relationships. • This review establishes a closed-loop cognitive framework encompassing models, synthesis, high stability mechanisms, high activity essence, and applications, driving a paradigm shift in understanding the multi-dimensional advantages of SANIs.