Antisite defect unleashes catalytic potential in high-entropy intermetallics for oxygen reduction reaction.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 40195379.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-025-58679-5 and PMC identifier 11977229.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC-ND.
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Abstract
Developing highly active, low-cost, and durable catalysts for efficient oxygen reduction reactions remain a challenge, hindering the commercial viability of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In this study, an ordered PtZnFeCoNiCr high-entropy intermetallic electrocatalyst with Pt antisite point defects (PD-PZFCNC-HEI) is synthesized. The electrocatalyst shows high mass activity of 4.12 A mg<sub>Pt</sub><sup>-1</sup> toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which is 33 times that of the commercial Pt/C. PEMFC, assembled with PD-PZFCNC-HEI as the cathode (0.05 mg<sub>Pt</sub> cm<sup>-2</sup>), exhibits a peak power density of 1.9 W cm<sup>-2</sup> and a high mass activity of 3.0 A mg<sub>Pt</sub><sup>-1</sup> at 0.9 V. Theoretical calculations combined with in situ X-ray absorption fine structure results reveal that defect engineering optimizes Pt's electronic structure and activates non-noble metal site active centers, achieving exceptionally high ORR catalytic activity. This study provides guidance for the development of nanostructured ordered high-entropy intermetallic catalysts.