A High-Performance Fe,Co–N–C/MnCo₂O₄/Ti₃C₂ + Carbon Nanotube Catalyst toward Oxygen Reduction Reaction for Alkaline Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

The development of platinum group metal (PGM)-free catalysts with high activity and stability for efficient reactants is a way to reduce the cost of fuel cell stacks and systems. However, the slow chemical reaction kinetics and poor stability of such catalysts remain significant challenges for their widespread application. Here, we report a high-performance Fe,Co–N–C/MnCo2O4/Ti3C2 + carbon nanotube (CNT) composite catalyst designed for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs). The catalyst demonstrates exceptional ORR activity with a half-wave potential of 0.9145 V with only a 3.26% decrease after 10,000 cyclic voltammetry cycles. In AEMFC tests, the fuel cell performance based on the catalyst achieves a peak power density of 627 mW cm–2 and 435 mW cm–2 under H2–O2 and H2–air, respectively. Furthermore, the catalyst exhibits remarkable durability with only a 20% decrease in power density after 200 h of continuous operation at 0.8 V. These results demonstrate that the catalyst is a promising material for fuel cell with high activity and stability.