Issue 8, 2020

Recent advances in Co-based electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction

Abstract

In recent years, global environmental problems caused by burning fossil fuels have become increasingly serious. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) that use highly efficient clean renewable fuels (hydrogen, H2) to generate electricity have received a lot of attention. The main drawback of current PEMFC technology is the high cost caused by the high content of precious metal platinum (Pt) in catalysts for the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Therefore, the development of stable and efficient low Pt content or Pt-free catalysts for the ORR is one of the current research hotspots. Currently, cobalt (Co)-based electrocatalysts for the ORR have attracted extensive attention. This research provides potential to reduce the Pt content or prevent the use of Pt in electrocatalysts, while keeping high activity and stability. This review summarizes recent advances in Co-based electrocatalysts including Co–Pt-based materials, Co,N-doped carbon (Co–N–C) materials, heterometal-doped Co–N–C materials and nonmetal-doped Co–N–C materials. In addition, this review also discusses the structure–activity relationship and the way in which the structural characteristics of electrocatalysts, such as the surface area and accessible active sites, and heteroatom doping affect their ORR activities. We hope that this review could shed some light on the design and development of electrocatalysts that can be industrialized in PEMFCs.

Graphical abstract: Recent advances in Co-based electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
19 Feb 2020
Accepted
14 May 2020
First published
14 May 2020

Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2020,4, 3848-3870

Recent advances in Co-based electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction

Z. Liang, H. Zheng and R. Cao, Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2020, 4, 3848 DOI: 10.1039/D0SE00271B

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements