Silica samurai: Aristocrat of energy and environmental catalysis

Silica (SiO2) has been widely used as a support for various heterogeneous catalysts because of its Earth abundance, low cost, and large specific surface area. Except for the families of mesoporous and microporous silica, ordinary silica has long been perceived as just an inert support for better dispersion and mechanistic studies. However, recent advances have demonstrated new functionalities of structurally engineered silica to directly maneuver the catalytic performance, of which researchers are largely unaware. In this review, we start with a brief discussion about the fundamental merits of silica. Subsequently, we discuss distinctive features of silica through ingenious designs, which could enhance the activity, stability, and selectivity of heterogeneous catalysts. Finally, we put forward prospects and challenges for designing innovative silica-based catalysts, providing insights into viable techniques for high-performance heterogeneous catalysis.