Insights into efficient transition metal-nitrogen/carbon oxygen reduction electrocatalysts

摘要

It is of vital importance to accelerate the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)process at the cathode with earth-abundant metal-based catalysts for the commercialization of low-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells.In consideration of high catalytic activity,long-term stability and low cost of potential ORR electrocatalysts,transition metal species have attracted much interest and transition metal-nitrogen-carbon(M-N/C,M=Fe,Co,Ni,Mn,etc.)catalysts have been widely considered as the most promising non-precious metal catalysts for ORR.Herein,the fundamental understanding of ORR catalytic mechanism and the identification of active centers are briefly introduced,and then different M-N/C catalysts classified by precursors with the strategies for design and optimization are highlighted.The challenges and possible opportunity for future development of high-performance ORR catalysts are finally proposed.