Issue 18, 2021

Recent advances in non-precious metal electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction in acidic media and PEMFCs: an activity, stability and mechanism study

Abstract

The high cost and limited supply of platinum has driven intensive research into the use of non-platinum group metals (PGM-free) as cathode oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), which is crucial in promoting the large-scale applications of PEMFCs and the most important step to achieve the DOE ultimate stack cost target. As the most promising group of PGM-free ORR catalysts, the metal/N/C (M–N–C) catalysts have been extensively explored. However, several problems still exist in the development of high-performance M/N/C catalysts, including limited intrinsic activity and durability, severe concentration polarization and ohmic polarization. Therefore, our aim is to conduct a comprehensive understanding and recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the state-of-the-art PGM-free ORR catalysts for PEMFCs. Herein, we summarize three classes of the most active M/N/C ORR catalysts, namely, conductive PANI-based catalysts and their analogues, ZIFs-based catalysts and their derivatives, and other high-performance ORR catalysts, thoroughly expound their deactivation mechanisms, and deeply discuss the oxygen reduction mechanisms and approaches for identifying active sites. The challenges and perspectives on PGM-free cathode catalysts of PEMFCs are also discussed.

Graphical abstract: Recent advances in non-precious metal electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction in acidic media and PEMFCs: an activity, stability and mechanism study

Article information

Article type
Tutorial Review
Submitted
25 Бер 2021
Accepted
27 Лип 2021
First published
31 Лип 2021

Green Chem., 2021,23, 6898-6925

Recent advances in non-precious metal electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction in acidic media and PEMFCs: an activity, stability and mechanism study

J. Cui, Q. Chen, X. Li and S. Zhang, Green Chem., 2021, 23, 6898 DOI: 10.1039/D1GC01040A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements