Issue 28, 2019

A copper single-atom catalyst towards efficient and durable oxygen reduction for fuel cells

Abstract

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) of transition metals have attracted enormous attention as replacements of Pt-based catalysts towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Even though Cu is nature's choice for ORR catalysis in many forms of life from bacteria to humans; however, only a few studies of Cu-based SACs for the ORR have been reported. Furthermore, the applications of Cu SACs for fuel cells have rarely been demonstrated. In this work, we prepared a Cu SAC via a simple pyrolysis method using Cu phthalocyanine as the precursor. The catalyst shows a half-wave potential of 0.81 V (vs. RHE) in alkaline medium towards the ORR, which is 30 mV lower than that of commercial Pt/C (20 wt%). It also shows high durability with only 9 mV negative shift of half-wave potential after 5000 cycles in alkaline medium. An anion exchange membrane fuel cell based on the Cu SAC exhibits a peak power density of 196 mW cm−2 at 70 °C. The density functional theory calculation suggests that the transformation process from OOH* to O* is the rate determining step over the Cu SAC. The Cu SAC could be a promising non-noble ORR catalyst for fuel cell applications.

Graphical abstract: A copper single-atom catalyst towards efficient and durable oxygen reduction for fuel cells

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
03 Apr 2019
Accepted
26 Apr 2019
First published
26 Apr 2019

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2019,7, 16690-16695

A copper single-atom catalyst towards efficient and durable oxygen reduction for fuel cells

L. Cui, L. Cui, Z. Li, J. Zhang, H. Wang, S. Lu and Y. Xiang, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2019, 7, 16690 DOI: 10.1039/C9TA03518D

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