Recent advances in catalyst materials for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

• Published in: APL materials Vol. 9; no. 4; pp. 040702 - 040702-24
• Main Authors: Mølmen, L., Eiler, K., Fast, L., Leisner, P., Pellicer, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: AIP Publishing LLC 01-04-2021
• Subjects: Acidic media; Catalyst material; Catalysts; Electrocatalysis; Electrolytic reduction; Fuel cell technologies; Global emissions; Key elements; Oxygen; Oxygen reduction reaction; Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFCs); Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC); Sustainable infrastructure
• ISSN: 2166-532X; 2166-532X
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0045801

Research on fuel cell technology is constantly gaining importance, while global emission requirements are becoming more and more restrictive. For environmentally neutral proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) to become a competitive technology, sustainable infrastructures need to be established. One of the main showstoppers is the utilization of the rare and therefore costly precious metal Pt as the key element in the electrocatalysis of hydrogen and oxygen. A huge amount of research is done on immensely reducing or even replacing Pt for future PEMFC technology. In this research update, the progress on oxygen reduction reaction catalysts in acidic media over the past two years is reviewed, with special attention to their durability.