Platinum-Group-Metal (PGM)-free catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction

Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is one of the most important processes for fuel cell. Platinum-group metals (PGMs) are suitable materials able to catalyze the ORR in a fuel cell, but they are expensive and available in limited amounts. In the last few years, many non-PGM formulations were synthesized and investigated for ORR, showing great activity in the rotating disk configuration compared to Pt catalysts. The research is currently addressed to the development of metal-nitrogen-carbon (M-N-C) materials as cheap and sustainable catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in an acid environment, for application in polymer electrolyte fuel cells fueled by hydrogen or alcohol. M-N-C catalysts (M being a transition metal such as Fe or Co) showed great promise owing to their good ORR activity and performance both in PEFCs and Direct Alcohol Fuel Cells (DAFCs)