Green Synthesis and Application of Platinum-Based Catalysts for Fuel Cells

Fuel cells are regarded as highly promising energy devices due to their clean and efficient energy conversion characteristics. However, their core material, platinum-based catalysts face challenges such as high cost, resource scarcity, and the high energy consumption and pollution associated with traditional synthesis methods, which contradict the green development principles of fuel cell technology. The rise of green chemistry provides a new research direction for developing environmentally friendly and cost-effective catalyst preparation routes. This review systematically summarizes recent research progress in the green synthesis of platinum-based catalysts for fuel cells, focusing on four core strategies: green solvent systems, biological reduction systems, renewable resource templates, and green energy-saving methods. It provides a detailed analysis of the principles of each method and their regulatory mechanisms on the microstructure. More importantly, this review elucidates the effects of size, morphology, and surface state on catalytic performance and establishes a structure–activity relationship linking green synthesis methods, microstructure, and catalytic performance and further discusses the regulatory mechanisms of catalyst structure, operating temperature, and electrolyte environment on electrochemical kinetic behavior. Furthermore, this article critically evaluates the advantages, limitations, and industrialization challenges of various green technologies. This review provides an important reference for the preparation and industrial application of high-performance, low-platinum, and environmentally friendly fuel cell catalysts.