Iron-cobalt Modified Electrospun Carbon Nanofibers as Oxygen Reduction Catalysts in Alkaline Fuel Cells

摘要

Over the past 30 years, fuel cells have been intensively researched as an environment-friendly alternative energy device, yet they are still far from being fully commercialized because of the inherent cost barrier incurred by their expensive platinum-based electrocatalysts. In particular, in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) the use of platinum (Pt) catalysts is inevitable because non-noble metals have been unable to withstand the acidic environment of PEMFCs (1), in addition to the fact that Pt-based catalysts have exceptional activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the cathode.