Low‐PGM and PGM‐Free Catalysts for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells: Stability Challenges and Material Solutions

作者：Lei Du, Venkateshkumar Prabhakaran, Xiaohong Xie, Sehkyu Park, Yong Wang, Yuyan Shao · 发表于：Advanced Materials · 年份：2020 · DOI：10.1002/adma.201908232 · 被引用次数：359 · 研究领域：Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion、Fuel Cells and Related Materials、Advanced battery technologies research

Fuel cells as an attractive clean energy technology have recently regained popularity in academia, government, and industry. In a mainstream proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, platinum-group-metal (PGM)-based catalysts account for ≈50% of the projected total cost for large-scale production. To lower the cost, two materials-based strategies have been pursued: 1) to decrease PGM catalyst usage (so-called low-PGM catalysts), and 2) to develop alternative PGM-free catalysts. Grand stability challenges exist when PGM catalyst loading is decreased in a membrane electrode assembly (MEA)-the power generation unit of a PEM fuel cell-or when PGM-free catalysts are integrated into an MEA. More importantly, there is a significant knowledge gap between materials innovation and device integration. For example, high-performance electrocatalysts usually demonstrate undesired quick degradation in MEAs. This issue significantly limits the development of PEM fuel cells. Herein, recent progress in understanding the degradation of low-PGM and PGM-free catalysts in fuel cell MEAs and materials-based solutions to address these issues are reviewed. The key factors that degrade the MEA performance are highlighted. Innovative, emerging material concepts and development of low-PGM and PGM-free catalysts are discussed.