Shi Zhou, Nano Science and Technology Institute, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
Muhammad Tariq, Division of Advanced Nanomaterials, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China.
Asif Nadeem Tabish, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, New Campus, Lahore, 39021, Pakistan.
Muhammad Salman, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, 54890, Pakistan.
Fandi Ning, Division of Advanced Nanomaterials, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China.
Muhammad Rayyan Tayyab, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Processes, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road Shanghai 200237, China.
Ranran Peng, Anhui Laboratory of Advanced Photon Science and Technology, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and CAS Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
Menggeng Hao, National Engineering Research Center for Optoelectronic Crystalline Materials, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou 350002, China.
Wenmu Li, National Engineering Research Center for Optoelectronic Crystalline Materials, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou 350002, China.Follow
Xiaochun Zhou, Division of Advanced Nanomaterials, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China.Follow

Document Type

Article

Corresponding Author(s)

Wenmu Li(liwm@fjirsm.ac.cn);
Xiaochun Zhou(xczhou2013@sinano.ac.cn)

Abstract

Economical Fe-N-C catalysts are considered as promising alternatives to platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Despite exhibiting robust activity on rotating disk electrodes (RDEs), their performance within membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) often experiences limitations, such as decreased O2 diffusion, high H2O2 formation, low proton conduction, and a lower electron transfer number. In this study, key factors, including proton transport, electron conduction, and gas diffusion within air-breathing PEMFCs, have been investigated by adjusting cathode catalyst layer (CCL) compositions. From the experimental results, the peak power density is obtained when the loading of Fe-N-C catalyst is 1 mg∙cm⁻² and Nafion content is 0.15 mg∙cm⁻² within CCLs. The addition of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to enhance hydrophobicity was found to have a negative impact on PEMFC performance. Furthermore, the incorporation of diverse carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into CCLs resulted in a significant increase of over 30% in peak power density, attributed to enhancements in the gas diffusion and proton conductivity. The critical roles of gas transport and proton conductivity within Fe-N-C-based CCLs have been highlighted by this study. These findings contribute to the advancement of rational design principles for economical PEMFCs, offering valuable insights to drive the development of efficient and cost-effective technology in future.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

PEMFC, noble metal-free catalyst, Fe-N-C catalyst, carbon nanotube, membrane electrode assembly

Online Date

1-13-2026

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