6. Rational Design of Highly Efficient Non-precious Metal Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction in Fuel Cells and Metal–Air Batteries

Abstract

Exploring inexpensive and high-performance non-precious metal catalysts (NPMCs) to replace the rare and expensive platinum-(Pt)-based catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is crucial for future low-temperature fuel cell and metal-air battery devices. So far, Fe/N/C-based catalysts exhibiting superior ORR performance than the other NPMCs have received intensive exploration. Especially, a breakthrough for NPMCs has been made by the Dodelet group, with catalyst activity approaching that of Pt in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). However, commercialization has been mainly hampered by its poor stability during chronoamperometry experiment. Recently, as the work of torch relay, we investigated the possible mechanisms for the poor stability of the Fe/N/C in a PEMFC and also explored some novel structured efficient Fe/N/C electrocatalysts for ORR, which hold great potential for use in PEMFC and metal-air battery.