Asymmetric Dual-Atomic Catalyst with Axial Chloride Coordination for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Low-platinum-group metal (low-PGM) catalysts play a crucial role in reducing the cost of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Dual-atomic catalysts offer valuable solutions due to their exceptional performance. This work explores the application of axial Cl-coordinated Pt─Co dual atoms on N-doped graphitic carbon (Pt₁Co₁/NC─Cl) catalysts utilizing PtCo dual-atomic catalysts, demonstrating their ability to significantly enhance the acidic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalytic performance of conventional PtCo catalysts. The half-wave potential (E_1/2) reaches 0.841 V in a 0.1 M HClO₄ solution, and only a reduction of 12 mV in E_1/2 is observed after 5000 cycles. Axial Cl proves to be resistant to removal during the electroreduction reaction. Consequently, the use of heteroatom-modulated asymmetric structures can greatly improve the performance of Pt-based catalysts. Incorporating nonmetallic synergistic Pt-group metals presents a promising solution for achieving high-performance Low-PGMs.