Hydrogen & fuel cells

A fuel cell is a power generation device that directly converts chemical energy into electrical energy. It generates electricity through the electrochemical redox reactions of hydrogen and oxygen, producing only water and heat as byproducts. With low pollution and high conversion efficiency, fuel cells are a promising clean-energy technology. Our lab focuses on addressing two key challenges in fuel cells: the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the cathode and the high cost of precious metals. We develop low-platinum and non-precious-metal catalysts. In recent advances, we developed single-atom catalysts with a “nanobowl” structure (e.g., Co-N5) and used operando spectroscopy to elucidate reaction mechanisms. We also designed core–shell catalysts that combine Pt2Ni4 atomic clusters with Pd nanoparticles, and MOF-derived bimetal catalysts (e.g., MOF-199 and Ni-Co CPO-27) for anion exchange membrane fuel cells. These innovations significantly reduce reliance on platinum while delivering activity and durability beyond commercial Pt/C catalysts.

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📄 Latest Publications

📄 Biochar-based Electrodes and Catalysts for Microbial Fuel Cells: Engineering Strategies, Mechanisms, and Performance

Tesfay Gebremikael Teklehaimanot, Jer-Huan Jang, Chen-Hao Wang*, Chin-Tsan Wang* · Journal of Power Sources, 684 (2026) 240427

📄 Sn–Fe Dual-Metallic Nanoparticles on S,N-Codoped g-C₃N₄-Derived Tubular Carbon as an Efficient Bifunctional Catalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction and Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Berhanu Telay Mekonnen, Daniel Manaye Kabtamu, Sun-Tang Chang, Guan-Cheng Chen, Amil Aligayev, Francisco Javier Dominguez-Gutierrez, Yao-Ming Wang, Sheng-Yu Wang, Wenyi Huo*, Chen-Hao Wang* · ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 18 (2026) 24456–24470

📄 Atomically Dispersed Co-Nx Sites Anchored on t-ZrO2-Embedded Porous Carbon Derived from MOF-808 for Enhanced Oxygen Reduction in Alkaline Media

Berhanu Telay Mekonnen, Yi-Kang Rong, Sun-Tang Chang, Guan-Cheng Chen, Aknachew Mebreku Demeku, Liang-Yun Li, Chen-Hao Wang* · International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 235 (2026) 155243

🤝 Enhanced Fuel Cell Performance with Robust Pyridinium-Derivative-Functionalized SBS Triblock Copolymer Anion-Exchange Membranes

Beyadgalem Endawoke Anley et al., Chen-Hao Wang, Hsieh-Chih Tsai* · ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 18 (2026) 6687–6700

📄 Revealing the operando ORR mechanism of single-atom catalysts anchored in nanobowl structures for advanced hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells

Sun-Tang Chang, Hui-Xin Liu, Yi-Ching Chu, Ying-Rui Lu, Chen-Hao Wang* · Chemical Engineering Journal, 528 (2026) 172462

🤝 Local collaboration between oxygen vacancy, palladium and platinum trimer triggers exceptional performance in the alkaline fuel cell

Dinesh Bhalothia, Che Yan, Yawei Wu, Jui-Cheng Kao, Yu-Chieh Lo, Haolin Li, Nozomu Hiraoka, Hirofumi Ishii, Yen-Fa Liao, Sheng Dai, Chen-Hao Wang, Alice Hu, Jyh-Pin Chou, Po-Chun Chen, Tsan-Yao Chen · Chemical Engineering Journal, 522 (2025) 167605

📄 MOF-199-Based Nitrogen-Doped Bimetal Cathode Catalyst for Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Afandi Yusuf, Yusuf Pradesar, Guan-Cheng Chen, Hsin-Chih Huang, Chen-Hao Wang* · ACS Applied Energy Materials, 7 (2024) 10960–10970

🤝 Potential synergy between Pt₂Ni₄ Atomic-Clusters, oxygen vacancies and adjacent Pd nanoparticles outperforms commercial Pt nanocatalyst in alkaline fuel cells

Dinesh Bhalothia, Amisha Beniwal, Che Yan, Kai-Chin Wang, Chen-Hao Wang, Tsan-Yao Chen* · Chemical Engineering Journal, 483 (2024) 149421