Rise of precious metal-free anion exchange membrane fuel cells

Hydrogen produced by carbon-free processes can play a role in the decarbonization of several sectors in France, in particular industry and transport, and play a central role in the storage of electricity from renewable resources. In France, the transport sector is the main source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for over 30% of the total. To decarbonize this sector, it is essential to electrify part of the French road vehicle fleet. For heavy-duty vehicles, electrification using hydrogen technologies would appear to be the best option. Fuel cells, which convert the chemical energy of hydrogen into electrical energy through electrochemical reactions, are at the heart of this approach. The most mature technology currently on the market is the Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC). However, because it operates in an acidic environment, this technology requires the use of platinum-based catalysts and fluorinated polymer membranes, resulting in high economic and environmental costs. Anion-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (AEMFC) technology, which operates in a basic environment, dispenses with precious metal catalysts and fluorinated membranes. The use of these precious-metal-free catalysts is particularly interesting, and will be explored in greater depth in this article. Following a background and comparison of PEMFCs and AEMFCs and their operation, the article focuses on the description of precious-metal-free catalysts at cathode and anode for AEMFCs. Particular attention will be paid to a new class of catalysts developed for the anode comprising a nickel core and a carbon shell, possibly doped with other elements.