Abstract
In order to reduce the overall system cost, the development of inexpensive, high-performance and durable oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)N, Fe-codoped carbon-based (Fe/N/C) electrocatalysts to replace currently used Pt-based catalysts has become one of the major topics in research on fuel cells. This review paper lays the emphasis on introducing the progress made over the recent five years with a detailed discussion of recent work in the area of Fe/N/C electrocatalysts for ORR and the possible Fe-based active sites. Fe-based materials prepared by simple pyrolysis of transition metal salt, carbon support, and nitrogen-rich small molecule or polymeric compound are mainly reviewed due to their low cost, high performance, long stability and because they are the most promising for replacing currently used Pt-based catalysts in the progress of fuel cell commercialization. Additionally, Fe-base catalysts with small amount of Fe or new structure of Fe/Fe3C encased in carbon layers are presented to analyze the effect of loading and existence form of Fe on the ORR catalytic activity in Fe-base catalyst. The proposed catalytically Fe-centered active sites and reaction mechanisms from various authors are also discussed in detail, which may be useful for the rational design of high-performance, inexpensive, and practical Fe-base ORR catalysts in future development of fuel cells.
Highlights
To meet the increased demand for energy in the world, one of the biggest challenges is the development of technologies that provide inexpensive, readily available, and sustainable energy.Fuel cells are among the most promising candidates for reliable and efficient conversion of alcohols into electric power in automotive and portable electronic applications on a large scale [1,2]
This review addresses the current development of Fe-based oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts with a variety of different structure and properties, along with the proposed catalytically active sites and reaction mechanisms from various authors
The Fe-based catalysts prepared via heat-treatment iron phthalocyanines (Pc)/porphyrins and their derivatives supported on carbon materials or some synthesized Fe-based macrocycle compounds seems to be a little complicated or high-cost relative to pyrolysis of transition metal salt carbon support, and nitrogen-rich small molecule, still plays an important role in the preparation of ORR catalysts and research of ORR active sites
Summary
To meet the increased demand for energy in the world, one of the biggest challenges is the development of technologies that provide inexpensive, readily available, and sustainable energy. Since Jasinski reported cobalt phthalocyanine as the ORR electrocatalyst in alkaline electrolytes in 1964 [5], a new era of carbon-supported non-precious metal (Co, Fe, etc.) and metal-free catalyst to replace the expensive Pt-based electrode in fuel cells started [6,7,8,9,10,11,12]. Electrocatalysts (Fe-based catalysts) are the most promising candidates because some of them exhibit high ORR activity in both acidic and alkaline medium [13,14,15]. This review addresses the current development of Fe-based ORR catalysts with a variety of different structure and properties, along with the proposed catalytically active sites and reaction mechanisms from various authors. By examining the most recent progress and research trends in both theoretical and experimental studies of Fe-based catalysts, this review provides a systematic and comprehensive discussion of the factors influencing catalyst performance as well as the future improvement strategies
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