Designing Stable Electrocatalysts for Sustainable Energy Conversion

Abstract

The sustainability of electrocatalyst nanoparticles is a very serious concern for the long-term functionality of electrochemical energy conversion and storage technologies such as proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), water electrolyzers, CO₂ reduction systems, and metal-air batteries. This review is the durability-focused dimension of the study of the electrocatalyst stability by systematically connecting its degradation mechanisms, including Ostwald ripening, particle migration, dissolution, and support corrosion, to advanced stabilization strategies. The evaluation of structural, compositional, and operational parameters that control catalyst lifetime is critically assessed using information obtained from operando spectroscopy, in situ microscopy, and electrochemical diagnostics. In a comparative context, the recent developments in alloying, core-shell structures, new support materials, and surface changes (e.g., atomic layer deposition and self-assembled monolayers) are proposed with their strengths and weaknesses. New data-driven methods, especially machine-learning-aided catalyst stability prediction, are also discussed as potential solutions to rational catalyst design. Such a unified view offers viable instructions on how to come up with long-lasting, high-efficiency, and economical electrocatalysts to be used in sustainable energy systems.