This workshop will bring together a small, yet very energetic group of world-renown experts in electrocatalysis to discuss issues or mechanism of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and other important reactions (such as CO2 electro-reduction) on platinum group metal-free (PGM-free) catalysts, the structure and reactivity of the transition metal-nitrogen- carbon (M-N-C) materials with atomically dispersed metals in graphene-like structures. Presently, large programs in US, Europe and Japan has been set on by the corresponding funding agencies to advance this class of materials towards practical applications in fuel cells. Despite the technology push, there is no common understanding neither on the mechanism of ORR, or on the structure of the catalytic active sites.

Last decade saw a tremendous advance in practical applications of fuel cell technology. In a breakthrough effort across scales of involvement, the automotive industry demonstrated the operational practicality of low-temperature Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEMC) for the most demanding, broadly impactful and consumer oriented market of personal vehicles. Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) emerged from obscurity and technical oddity into the mainstream technology. The current PEMFC technology uses PGM-based catalysts, responsible for at least 30-35% of total stack cost, being the largest materials cost factor. As technology approaches broad market introduction, Pt utilization in the cathode catalyst layer (CL) and membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) durability are two central issues hindering FC vehicle commercialization. Broad adaptation of FC technology in the global economy, however, will always remain subject to PGM market volatility, limited availability, and unfavorable geopolitical mining source location. Hence, Earth-abundant elements-based materials, which include PGM- free catalysts, are a long-term strategic DOE goal and an ultimate industrial target. Several PGM- free cathode catalysts have been proposed, of which transition metal-nitrogen-carbon (M-N-C)- based systems have shown promise in performance and stability in acid electrolytes. Recent years have seen initial successes in the incorporation of M-N-C catalysts in MEA and their evaluation under automotive application relevant conditions.