Series Reports (1/4): Advancements in Electrochemical Energy Conversions at Prof Wei’s Group of Chongqing University: High-Performance Oxygen Reduction Catalysts for Fuel Cells

Fadong Chen #, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Power Sources (Chongqing University); The College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
Zhuoyang Xie #, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Power Sources (Chongqing University); The College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
Mengting Li, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Power Sources (Chongqing University); The College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
Siguo Chen, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Power Sources (Chongqing University); The College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
Wei Ding, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Power Sources (Chongqing University); The College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
Li Li, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Power Sources (Chongqing University); The College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
Jing Li, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Power Sources (Chongqing University); The College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
Zidong Wei, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Power Sources (Chongqing University); The College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China

Document Type

Review

Corresponding Author(s)

Li Li(liliracial@cqu.edu.cn);
Jing Li(lijing@cqu.edu.cn);
Zidong Wei(zdwei@cqu.edu.c)

Abstract

Two major challenges, high cost, and short lifespan, have been hindering the commercialization process of low-temperature fuel cells. Wei’s group has been focusing on decreasing cathode Pt loadings without loss of activity and durability, and their research advances in this area over the past three decades are briefly reviewed herein. Regarding the Pt-based catalysts and the low Pt usage, they firstly tried to clarify the degradation mechanism of Pt/C catalysts and then demonstrated that the activity and stability could be improved by three strategies: regulating the nanostructures of the active sites, enhancing the effects of support materials, and optimizing structures of the three-phase boundary. For Pt-free catalysts, especially carbon-based ones, several strategies they proposed to enhance the activity of nitrogen-/heteroatom- doped carbon catalysts were firstly presented. Then, an in-depth understanding of the degradation mechanism for carbon-based catalysts was reported, followed by the corresponding stability enhancement strategies. Also, the carbon-based electrode at the micrometer-scale, faces the challenges such as low active-site density, thick catalytic layer, and the effect of hydrogen peroxide, which require rational structure design for the integral cathodic electrode. This review finally gave a short conclusion and outlook about the low cost and long lifespan of cathodic oxygen reduction catalysts.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

Fuel cells, Oxygen reduction reaction, Pt-based catalysts, Carbon-based catalysts

Online Date

4-23-2024

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