Advanced Strategies for Mitigating Catalyst Poisoning in Low and High Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells: Recent Progress and Perspectives

Abstract

Catalyst poisoning remains a persistent barrier to the efficiency and longevity of electrocatalytic energy conversion devices, namely fuel cells. To address this challenge, this review provides a systematic investigation of recent advancements in mitigation strategies, with particular emphasis on surface engineering, alloying, and combined approaches. Notable developments include the rational design of Pt-alloy catalysts with enhanced CO, H2S, and H3PO4 tolerance as well as the implementation of anti-poisoning molecular architectures and carbon-based protective layers. These methods collectively show considerable promise for improving catalytic activity by fine-tuning electronic structures and minimizing interactions with undesired adsorbates. In addition to presenting a comprehensive overview of the current progress, this review identifies promising future directions, guiding the design and realization of robust, poison-tolerant catalysts crucial for sustainable energy technologies.