Chemistry Department Colloquium

Low temperature fuel cells are electrochemical devices that convert chemical energy directly to electricity. They have great potential for both stationary and transportation applications and are expected to help address the energy and environmental problems that have become prevalent in our society. Despite their great promise, commercialization has been hindered by lower than predicted efficiencies and high loading of Pt-based electrocatalysts in the electrodes. For more than five decades, extensive work has being focused on the development of novel electrocatalysts for fuel cell reactions. In this talk, I will present recent progress in developing advanced electrocatalysts mainly for oxygen reduction reaction in my group, with an emphasis on core-shell and shape controlled nanocrystals. Fuel cell testing results on these advanced catalysts will be shared. The mechanisms for activity enhancement will also be discussed based on the results of density functional theory calculations.