Highly Stable Pt-Based Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts toward Practical Fuel Cells: Progress and Perspectives.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are hindered by the high cost and poor reliability of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts, primarily due to the reliance on scarce platinum.
• Understanding the fundamental principles of ORR and the degradation mechanisms of platinum-based catalysts is crucial for advancing fuel cell technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and categorize strategies for enhancing the stability of platinum-based ORR electrocatalysts.
• To highlight recent advancements in Pt-based catalyst stability for ORR in fuel cells.
• To provide insights into future research directions for practical ORR electrocatalysts.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and categorization of stability enhancement strategies.
• Analysis of recent progress in surface-doping, intermetallic structures, 1D/2D structures, and support design.
• Discussion of advanced interpretation techniques and simulation methods.

Main Results:

• Various strategies, including surface-doping and rational support design, show promise in improving Pt-based catalyst stability.
• Recent progress demonstrates significant advancements in enhancing the durability of Pt-based catalysts for ORR.
• The review categorizes existing and emerging methods for stability improvement.

Conclusions:

• Enhancing the stability of platinum-based ORR electrocatalysts is essential for the commercialization of PEMFCs.
• Continued research into advanced preparation, characterization, and simulation techniques will accelerate the development of durable and cost-effective catalysts.
• This review offers valuable scientific and engineering perspectives for practical Pt-based ORR electrocatalyst development.