Copper-Based Electrocatalysts with Multinuclear Catalytic Sites for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Abstract

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) to water is catalyzed at cathodes in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). For widespread applications of PEFCs, low-cost cathode materials with high catalytic activity and durability are highly desirable. Since natural ORR catalysts such as multi-copper oxidases catalyze the ORR with almost no overpotential (ca. 20 mV)[1]and the enzymatic ORR occurs at a multinuclear copper complex, mimicking enzymatic active sites would allow us to develop non-precious metal-based ORR electrocatalysts for practical applications. Herein we report our research progress in synthetic and mechanistic studies on copper-based electrocatalysts for the ORR.[3,4]Our findings suggest that the design and synthesis of multinuclear copper cores might be a key to develop highly efficient and durable copper-based electrocatalysts for the ORR. References. [1] N. Mano, V. Soukharev, A. Heller, J. Phys. Chem. B, 110, 11180 (2006). [2] M.S. Thorum, J. Yadav, A.A. Gewirth, Ang. Chem. Int. Ed., 48, 165 (2008). [3] M. Kato et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 17, 8638-8641 (2015). [4] M. Kato, N. Oyaizu, K. Shimazu, I. Yagi, J. Phys. Chem. C, in press. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b11663