(Invited) A General Framework to Gauge Transport Phenomena in the Cathodic Electrocatalytic Layer of a Fuel Cell

摘要

The sluggishness of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a major bottleneck in the operation of low-temperature fuel cells (FCs), with a particular reference to proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Hence, it is necessary to devise efficient and affordable electrocatalysts (ECs) able to minimize the overpotentials associated with the ORR. This issue is further exacerbated considering that the single chemical element affording the lowest ORR overpotentials in the highly acidic environment found at the PEMFC cathode is Pt, whose abundance in Earth's crust is very limited. This raises serious concerns towards the incipient large-scale rollout of PEMFCs, that may face serious supply bottlenecks.