Development of New Catalysts for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells
A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Electrocatalysis".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2026
Special Issue Editor
Interests: electrochemistry; fuel cells; density functional theory; photocatalysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs), which include both proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs), represent a promising clean energy technology due to their high efficiency, low operating temperature, and environmental compatibility. Despite their potential, the commercialization of PEFCs is limited by the need for cost-effective, durable, and high-performance catalysts.
This Special Issue seeks contributions that address recent advances in the development of catalysts for PEFCs, with an emphasis on innovative materials, synthesis approaches, and performance optimization. Topics of interest include the following: new electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction and hydrogen oxidation reactions; platinum-group-metal-free alternatives; low-platinum loading strategies; and advanced catalyst supports. Studies on durability, degradation mechanisms, and methods for enhancing long-term stability are also welcome.
We welcome both experimental and theoretical works, including computational modeling, mechanistic insights, and interdisciplinary approaches combining materials science, electrochemistry, and engineering. Review articles summarizing current progress and challenges in catalyst development for PEFCs are also encouraged.
The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a platform for the latest research in catalyst innovation for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, advancing sustainable energy conversion technologies toward practical applications.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Prof. Dr. Donald Tryk
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Catalysts is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs)
- proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs)
- anion exchange membrane fuel cells
- clean energy
- electrocatalysts
- oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)
- hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR)
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