Carbon Composite Cathode Catalysts for Alkaline PEM Fuel Cells

Interests in alkaline electrocatalysis have been increasing in recent years, largely due to new developments in the design of alkaline polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Similar to their acidic counterparts, the prohibitive cost of platinum for catalyzing the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at cathode has hampered the widespread use of alkaline fuel cells. This chapter provides a review of the recent progress in research on cost-effective carbon-based cathode catalysts for alkaline fuel cells. Catalyst materials discussed include metal-free carbon based catalysts, transition metal-derived M-N-C catalysts, and carbon/transition metal compound hybrids. The focus of this review is on the correlations among morphology, structure, and performance of the ORR catalysts in alkaline media. Guidance to design and synthesize advanced alkaline ORR catalysts with much improved activity and performance durability for alkaline fuel cell applications was also discussed.