Nitrogen-doping enables PtNiCoN/NC electrocatalyst to achieve high-performance oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) hold great promise for clean energy applications, but the slow kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the cathode remain a significant challenge. To tackle this issue, we developed a novel N-doped PtNiCo alloy catalyst (PtNiCoN/NC) through a simple solvothermal synthesis, with N being doped both within the particles and at the carbon support. This catalyst demonstrates superior ORR activity and stability, significantly outperforming commercial Pt/C. After 30k accelerated durability test (ADT) cycles, the catalyst retains 68.7% of its initial activity. At the membrane electrode assembly level, it achieves a peak power density of 0.9 W cm −2 and a rated power density of 0.85 W cm −2 @0.09 mg Pt cm −2 , with the peak power retaining 83% of its initial value after 10k ADT cycles. This enhanced performance of PtNiCoN/NC can be attributed to N-doping that optimizes the electronic structures of the catalyst and the enhanced particle-carbon substrate interactions. This study highlights the potential of PtNiCoN/NC as a highly efficient and stable ORR catalyst, offering a promising solution for advancing PEMFC technology.