Pyrrolic nitrogen-rich carbon quantum dots as anchoring sites for stable and efficient platinum catalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Developing highly durable and active catalysts is essential for improving the performance and longevity of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In this study, we propose a novel strategy to enhance catalyst dispersion and stability by incorporating pyrrolic nitrogen-rich carbon (pNC) quantum dots into highly crystalline carbon supports. The introduction of pNC generates strong anchoring sites for Pt nanoparticles, facilitating uniform dispersion and minimizing aggregation, which are key factors in enhancing catalytic performance and durability. The synthesized Pt/CVC150 catalyst exhibited excellent oxygen reduction reaction activity, with a half-wave potential of 0.842 V and a limiting current density of 6.3 mA cm⁻². Under accelerated stress test conditions, the catalyst retained 61.4% of its initial peak power density after prolonged cycling, indicating enhanced durability. Furthermore, single cell testing confirmed its improved electrochemical activity and stability of the Pt/CVC150 catalyst in a practical PEMFC operating environment. These findings suggest that the incorporation of heteroatom-doped carbon moieties onto carbon supports represents a promising strategy for the development of next-generation PEMFC catalysts with enhanced performance and longevity.