Tang Meihua, Yan Huangli, Zhang Xianming, Zheng Zhenying, Chen Shengli
Hubei Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Power Sources, College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China.
Adv Mater. 2023 Nov 28:e2306387. doi: 10.1002/adma.202306387.
The most critical challenge for the large-scale commercialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), one of the primary hydrogen energy technologies, is to achieve decent output performance with low usage of platinum (Pt). Currently, the performance of PEMFCs is largely limited by two issues at the catalyst/ionomer interface, specifically, the poisoning of active sites of Pt by sulfonate groups and the extremely sluggish local oxygen transport toward Pt. In the past few years, emerging strategies are derived to tackle these interface problems through materials optimization and innovation. This perspective summarizes the latest advances in this regard, and in the meantime unveils the molecule-level mechanisms behind the materials modulation of interfacial structures. This paper starts with a brief introduction of processes and structures of catalyst/ionomer interfaces, which is followed by a detailed review of progresses in key materials toward interface optimization, including catalysts, ionomers, and additives, with particular emphasis on the role of materials structure in regulating the intermolecular interactions. Finally, the challenges for the application of the established materials and research directions to broaden the material library are highlighted.
质子交换膜燃料电池（PEMFCs）作为主要的氢能技术之一，其大规模商业化面临的最关键挑战是在低铂（Pt）用量的情况下实现良好的输出性能。目前，PEMFCs的性能在很大程度上受到催化剂/离聚物界面处两个问题的限制，具体而言，磺酸基团会使Pt的活性位点中毒，并且向Pt的局部氧传输极其缓慢。在过去几年中，人们通过材料优化和创新得出了新的策略来解决这些界面问题。本文综述了这方面的最新进展，同时揭示了界面结构材料调控背后的分子水平机制。本文首先简要介绍了催化剂/离聚物界面的过程和结构，随后详细回顾了在界面优化关键材料方面的进展，包括催化剂、离聚物和添加剂，特别强调了材料结构在调节分子间相互作用中的作用。最后，强调了现有材料应用面临的挑战以及拓宽材料库的研究方向。
