PLATINUM CATALYSIS IN FUEL CELL: AN OVERVIEW

by Omar Syah Jehan Elham, Siti Kartom Kamarudin, Zulfirdaus Zakaria, Nur Hidayah Ahmad Zaidi, Abul K Azad, and Siti Hasanah Osman

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https://doi.org/10.17576/myjea.2026.01.84

Abstract

Fuel cells are emerging as a promising clean energy technology in the global transition to sustainable power generation and can contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy). Platinum is the most frequently used electrocatalyst for fuel cells, as it is a highly efficient catalyst with excellent corrosion resistance and long-term stability in electrochemical processes. Platinum is widely used at both the anode and cathode in fuel cells and underpins fuel cell electrocatalysis, but this platinum-based catalyst layer typically accounts for around 15–20% of the total fuel cell stack cost, making it one of the main barriers to commercialization. This review provides a detailed examination of the use of platinum in fuel cells and discusses its geological history, physicochemical properties, industrial importance, and catalytic roles in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs), and microbial fuel cells (MFCs). It integrates a geological perspective with catalytic applications and emerging catalyst development strategies to demonstrate the continued relevance of platinum for future fuel cell technology and to provide a comprehensive outlook on the future development of efficient, durable, and economically viable fuel cell technologies.

Keywords: Platinum, Fuel cell electrocatalysts, Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), Clean energy technologies

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