Publication date: 15th December 2025
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are promising clean energy technologies that efficiently convert chemical energy into electricity. While reducing cost (by reducing Pt loading) and increasing power density (by improving catalytic activity) remain key objectives, ensuring the long-term durability of PEMFCs, particularly at the cathode, has emerged as a critical challenge. To uncover the fundamental causes of degradation and develop strategies to mitigate performance loss, extensive research has utilized advanced operando analytical techniques, such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS), in conjunction with conventional three-electrode electrochemical cells. These in situ tools have provided valuable insights into time- and potential-resolved metal dissolution and support corrosion—two primary factors driving PEMFC degradation—beyond the limitations of traditional post-mortem analyses. However, these studies typically examine reactions at solid-liquid interfaces, whereas real fuel cells operate at solid-liquid-gas interfaces (i.e., the triple-phase boundary). Key operating conditions such as temperature (room temperature vs. >70 ℃) and reactant chemical potential (millimolar concentrations vs. ~20%) differ significantly between these systems, potentially leading to misinterpretation of degradation mechanisms. In this talk, I will present our comparative studies on operando degradation monitoring of fuel cell cathodes under both reaction environments. Our results underscore the importance of conducting investigations under realistic fuel cell conditions to improve our understanding of catalyst degradation and guide the development of more durable PEMFCs.
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International Conference on Hybrid and Organic Photovoltaics
International Conference on Hybrid and Organic Photovoltaics (HOPV) is celebrated yearly in May. The main topics are the development, function and modeling of materials and devices for hybrid and organic solar cells. The field is now dominated by perovskite solar cells but also other hybrid technologies, as organic solar cells, quantum dot solar cells, and dye-sensitized solar cells and their integration into devices for photoelectrochemical solar fuel production.
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