Synergistic Mn-Co catalyst outperforms Pt on high-rate oxygen reduction for alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Ying Wang, Yao Yang, Shuangfeng Jia, Xiaoming Wang, Kangjie Lyu, Yanqiu Peng, He Zheng, Xing Wei, Huan Ren, Li Xiao (), Jianbo Wang, David A. Muller, Héctor D. Abruña (), Bing Joe Hwang, Juntao Lu and Lin Zhuang ()
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Ying Wang: Wuhan University
Yao Yang: Cornell University, Ithaca
Shuangfeng Jia: Wuhan University
Xiaoming Wang: National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
Kangjie Lyu: Wuhan University
Yanqiu Peng: Wuhan University
He Zheng: Wuhan University
Xing Wei: Wuhan University
Huan Ren: Wuhan University
Li Xiao: Wuhan University
Jianbo Wang: Wuhan University
David A. Muller: Cornell University, Ithaca
Héctor D. Abruña: Cornell University, Ithaca
Bing Joe Hwang: National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
Juntao Lu: Wuhan University
Lin Zhuang: Wuhan University

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cells are a class of fuel cells that enable the use of non-precious metal catalysts, particularly for the oxygen reduction reaction at the cathode. While there have been alternative materials exhibiting Pt-comparable activity in alkaline solutions, to the best of our knowledge none have outperformed Pt in fuel-cell tests. Here we report a Mn-Co spinel cathode that can deliver greater power, at high current densities, than a Pt cathode. The power density of the cell employing the Mn-Co cathode reaches 1.1 W cm−2 at 2.5 A cm−2 at 60 oC. Moreover, this catalyst outperforms Pt at low humidity. In-depth characterization reveals that the remarkable performance originates from synergistic effects where the Mn sites bind O2 and the Co sites activate H2O, so as to facilitate the proton-coupled electron transfer processes. Such an electrocatalytic synergy is pivotal to the high-rate oxygen reduction, particularly under water depletion/low humidity conditions.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09503-4

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