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Title: Linking structure to function: The search for active sites in non-platinum group metal oxygen reduction reaction catalysts

Journal Article · · Nano Energy
 [1];  [2]
  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Sigma
  2. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Materials Physics and Applications

Atomic-scale structures of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) active sites in non-platinum group metal (non-PGM) catalysts, made from pyrolysis of carbon, nitrogen, and transition-metal (TM) precursors have been the subject of continuing discussion in the fuel cell electrocatalysis research community. We found that quantum chemical modeling is a path forward for understanding of these materials and how they catalyze the ORR. Here, we demonstrate through literature examples of how such modeling can be used to better understand non-PGM ORR active site relative stability and activity and how such efforts can also aid in the interpretation of experimental signatures produced by these materials.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-06NA25396
OSTI ID:
1304716
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1397361
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-16-20341
Journal Information:
Nano Energy, Journal Name: Nano Energy; ISSN 2211-2855
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 101 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Non-PGM Electrocatalysts for PEM Fuel Cells: Thermodynamic Stability and DFT Evaluation of Fluorinated FeN 4 -Based ORR Catalysts journal January 2019
Improving the Activity of M−N 4 Catalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction by Electrolyte Adsorption journal November 2019
Recent advances in active sites identification and regulation of M-N/C electro-catalysts towards ORR journal March 2019
Recent advances in Fe (or Co)/N/C electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells journal January 2017
Direct atomic-level insight into the active sites of a high-performance PGM-free ORR catalyst journal August 2017
Performance of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Electrodes with Atomically Dispersed (AD) Fe-C-N ORR Catalyst journal January 2019
Biomimetic reduction of O 2 in an acid medium on iron phthalocyanines axially coordinated to pyridine anchored on carbon nanotubes journal January 2017
Standing Carbon‐Supported Trace Levels of Metal Derived from Covalent Organic Framework for Electrocatalysis journal October 2019
Activity targets for nanostructured platinum-group-metal-free catalysts in hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells journal December 2016
Advancements in rationally designed PGM-free fuel cell catalysts derived from metal–organic frameworks journal January 2017
Bimetallic M/N/C catalysts prepared from π-expanded metal salen precursors toward an efficient oxygen reduction reaction journal January 2018
Progress in the Development of Fe‐Based PGM‐Free Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction journal December 2018
Experimental and Theoretical Trends of PGM-Free Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction with Different Transition Metals journal January 2019
General synthesis and definitive structural identification of MN4C4 single-atom catalysts with tunable electrocatalytic activities journal January 2018
Metal–organic frameworks: a promising platform for constructing non-noble electrocatalysts for the oxygen-reduction reaction journal January 2019
Why nitrogen favors oxygen reduction on graphitic materials journal January 2019
PGM-Free ORR Catalysts Designed by Templating PANI-Type Polymers Containing Functional Groups with High Affinity to Iron journal January 2019
Platinum group metal-free NiMo hydrogen oxidation catalysts: high performance and durability in alkaline exchange membrane fuel cells journal January 2017
Fe−N 3 /C Active Catalytic Sites for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction Prepared with Molecular‐Level Geometry Control through the Covalent Immobilization of an Iron−Terpyridine Motif onto Carbon journal January 2019
Metal–Organic Frameworks as Electro-Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Electrochemical Technologies journal April 2019
Electrocatalysis of oxygen reduction on heteroatom-doped nanocarbons and transition metal–nitrogen–carbon catalysts for alkaline membrane fuel cells journal January 2018
Impact of Textural Properties of Mesoporous Porphyrinic Carbon Electrocatalysts on Oxygen Reduction Reaction Activity journal April 2018
Iron-Nitrogen-Carbon Catalysts for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells journal January 2020