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Nanocarbons for Energy Conversion: Supramolecular Approaches pp 253–276Cite as

Recent Progress in Non-precious Metal Fuel Cell Catalysts

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Part of the book series: Nanostructure Science and Technology ((NST))

Abstract

Polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) have received a great deal of attention for their utility in applications such as transportation, portable devices, and combined heat and power systems due to their energy efficiency and scalability. The cost and scarcity of platinum is a major obstacle to the globalization of PEFCs; therefore, it is necessary to develop non-precious metal (NPM) cathode catalysts. This chapter provides an overview of the recent progress on the research and development of NPM oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts for PEFCs. The first half describes carbon-based Fe/N/C and N/C cathode catalysts, which are prepared by pyrolyzing Fe, N, and C-containing precursors. Nanocarbon with Fe and N-based active sites, which are synthesized in the pyrolysis of polyimide nanoparticles, are of particular interest. The second half of the chapter describes the research on cathode catalysts prepared by combining group 4 and 5 oxides with nanocarbons. In this catalyst design, the nanocarbon plays an important role in increasing the electrical conductivity of the catalyst layers while the oxide contributes to the ORR.

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Acknowledgements

The majority of the authors’ research described in this chapter was financially supported by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 S8-26, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8552, Japan

    Yuta Nabae

  2. Institute of Advanced Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 240-8501, Japan

    Akimitsu Ishihara

Authors
  1. Yuta Nabae
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  2. Akimitsu Ishihara
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Correspondence to Akimitsu Ishihara .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

    Naotoshi Nakashima

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Nabae, Y., Ishihara, A. (2019). Recent Progress in Non-precious Metal Fuel Cell Catalysts. In: Nakashima, N. (eds) Nanocarbons for Energy Conversion: Supramolecular Approaches. Nanostructure Science and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92917-0_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92917-0_11

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-92915-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-92917-0

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