Correlations between mass activity and physicochemical properties of Fe/N/C catalysts for the ORR in PEM fuel cell via 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and other techniques.

The aim of this work is to clarify the origin of the enhanced PEM-FC performance of catalysts prepared by the procedures described in Science 2009, 324, 71 and Nat. Commun. 2011, 2, 416.

Structure of the catalytic sites in Fe/N/C-catalysts for O2-reduction in PEM fuel cells.

Fe-based catalytic sites for the reduction of oxygen in acidic medium have been identified by (57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy of Fe/N/C catalysts containing 0.03 to 1.55 wt% Fe, which were prepared by impregnation of iron acetate on carbon black followed by heat-treatment in NH(3) at 950 °C.

Iron-based cathode catalyst with enhanced power density in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells.

H(2)-air polymer-electrolyte-membrane fuel cells are electrochemical power generators with potential vehicle propulsion applications. To help reduce their cost and encourage widespread use, research has focused on replacing the expensive Pt-based electrocatalysts in polymer-electrolyte-membrane fuel cells with a lower-cost alternative. Fe-based cathode catalysts are promising contenders, but their power density has been low compared with Pt-based cathodes, largely due to poor mass-transport properties.