Synergistic Mn-Co catalyst outperforms Pt on high-rate oxygen reduction for alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cells
Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: Alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cells are a class of fuel cells that enable the use of non-precious metal catalysts, particularly for the oxygen reduction reaction at the cathode. While there have been alternative materials exhibiting Pt-comparable activity in alkaline solutions, to the best of our knowledge none have outperformed Pt in fuel-cell tests. Here we report a Mn-Co spinel cathode that can deliver greater power, at high current densities, than a Pt cathode. The power density of the cell employing the Mn-Co cathode reaches 1.1 W cm−2 at 2.5 A cm−2 at 60 oC. Moreover, this catalyst outperforms Pt at low humidity. In-depth characterization reveals that the remarkable performance originates from synergistic effects where the Mn sites bind O2 and the Co sites activate H2O, so as to facilitate the proton-coupled electron transfer processes. Such an electrocatalytic synergy is pivotal to the high-rate oxygen reduction, particularly under water depletion/low humidity conditions.
Source: Nature Communications
Authors: Ying Wang, Yao Yang, Shuangfeng Jia, Xiaoming Wang, Kangjie Lyu, Yanqiu Peng, He Zheng, Xing Wei, Huan Ren, Li Xiao, Jianbo Wang, David A. Muller, Héctor D. Abruña, Bing Joe Hwang, Juntao Lu, Lin Zhuang
Language: English
Field: Energy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $5,200
Funders: National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Cornell Center for Materials Research, Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, Harvard University, National Key Research and Development Program of China, Division of Materials Research
OpenAlex ID: W2930426546