Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 24, 2026
09:02
Synthesis of Platinum-nickel Nanowires and Optimization for Oxygen Reduction Performance
Published on: April 27, 2018
8.3K
Structure-Stability Engineering of Pt-Based and Fe-N-C Catalysts Toward Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Zhenxing Wang1, Jingyan Guan1, Jun Li1
1Key Laboratory for Soft Chemistry and Functional Materials, Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|January 23, 2026
Summary
Developing durable oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts is key for fuel cells. This review details strategies to enhance the stability of platinum-based and iron-nitrogen-carbon (Fe-N-C) catalysts, crucial for energy technologies.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Catalysis
Background:
- Long-term durability of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts is essential for fuel cells and metal-air batteries.
- Platinum-based (Pt-based) catalysts are active but costly and degrade over time.
- Iron-nitrogen-carbon (Fe-N-C) catalysts offer near-Pt activity but suffer from stability issues like Fe leaching.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in improving the stability and durability of Pt-based and Fe-N-C ORR catalysts.
- To provide mechanistic insights into catalyst degradation processes and stability-limiting factors.
- To guide the design of robust, cost-effective ORR catalysts for sustainable energy technologies.
Main Methods:
- Summarizing strategies for Pt-based catalysts: electronic structure regulation, entropy-driven alloying, support-interface engineering.
- Detailing advancements for Fe-N-C catalysts: graphitization enhancement, heteroatom doping, defect engineering, dual-metal site incorporation.
- Analyzing structure-stability correlations from experimental and computational studies.
Main Results:
- Identified key degradation pathways for both Pt-based and Fe-N-C catalysts.
- Highlighted synergistic effects of catalyst structure, electronic configuration, and microenvironment on stability.
- Established correlations between catalyst design and resistance to degradation mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Significant progress has been made in enhancing ORR catalyst stability through various engineering approaches.
- Understanding degradation mechanisms is crucial for designing next-generation, durable, and cost-effective catalysts.
- Further research is needed to accelerate the industrial application of stable ORR catalysts in energy conversion technologies.
Related Concept Videos
03:11Oxidation-Reduction Reactions
75.2K
Oxidation–Reduction Reactions
75.2K
01:27Phase I Reactions: Reductive Reactions
584
Phase I biotransformation reductive reactions are chemical processes that modify drugs by introducing or revealing polar functional groups via reduction. Enzymes called reductases catalyze these reactions, playing a pivotal role in drug metabolism by transforming lipophilic drugs into more polar, water-soluble metabolites for easy excretion. An essential type of reductive reaction is the carbonyl group reduction, where aldehydes and ketones are reduced to alcohols. An example is the...
584
01:14Stability of structures
497
In mechanical engineering, the stability of systems under various forces is critical for designing durable and efficient structures. One fundamental way to explore these concepts is by analyzing systems like two rods connected at a pivot point, O, with a torsional spring of spring constant k at the pivot point. This system is similar in appearance to a scissor jack used to change tires on a car. In this case, the arms of the linkage (equivalent to the rods in this system) are entirely vertical,...
497
00:59Reactions at the Benzylic Position: Oxidation and Reduction
4.9K
The benzylic position describes the position of a carbon atom attached directly to a benzene ring. Benzene by itself does not undergo oxidation. In contrast, the benzylic carbon is quite reactive in the presence of strong oxidizing agents such as KMnO4 or H2CrO4. Therefore, alkylbenzenes are readily oxidized to benzoic acid, irrespective of the type of alkyl groups.
4.9K
01:53RNA Stability
35.7K
Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
35.7K
03:26Acids, Bases and Neutralization Reactions
63.6K
An acid-base reaction is one in which a hydrogen ion, H+, is transferred from one chemical species to another. Such reactions are of central importance to numerous natural and technological processes, ranging from the chemical transformations within cells or lakes and oceans to the industrial-scale production of fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, and other substances essential to the society.
63.6K