Hybrid high-performance oxygen reduction reaction Fe–N–C electrocatalyst for anion exchange membrane fuel cells

Atomically dispersed active sites and hierarchical porosity in Fe–N–C catalyst materials are essential for efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysis and effective mass transport, respectively. However, the majority of these catalysts fail to deliver outstanding electrocatalytic activity and stumble when used as cathode materials in fuel cells. Herein, we developed a catalyst with partially transformed metallic Fe into Fe-Nx sites embedded in the carbonaceous matrix, and its excellent electrocatalytic performance is attributed to the hybrid nanoparticles and built-in Fe-Nx site structures. The optimized Fe@Fe–N–C catalyst was tested for ORR performance both ex-situ using the rotating (ring)-disk electrode technique and in an anion exchange membrane fuel cell (AEMFC). The Fe@Fe–N–C electrocatalyst exhibited remarkably enhanced ORR activity in alkaline media with a half-wave potential of 0.822 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and showed the maximum power density (Pmax) of 242 mW cm−2 in an AEMFC test, surpassing the peak power density obtained from the Pt/C cathode catalyst (Pmax = 220 mW cm−2) under H2–O2 conditions. Therefore, the study provides a promising prospect for designing improved, cost-effective, and noble metal-free electrocatalysts for achieving high performance in AEMFCs.