Strain and defects are often interconnected in catalytic materials. For example, the introduction of defects can relieve or induce strain within the lattice, thereby altering the electronic properties and catalytic activity. Conversely, applied strain can create or annihilate defects. The interplay between strain and defects can be leveraged to tune the properties of catalysts for enhanced performance. For instance, strained materials can have increased defect formation energies, leading to a higher concentration of active sites.
