Preface

We are happy to introduce volume 14 of Specialist Periodical Reports in Electrochemistry which presents comprehensive and critical reviews with a thematic discussion of recent progress in electrolytes and electrocatalysts for fuel cells. In this volume, Escaño provides an in-depth review of recent density functional theory studies of borohydride electro-oxidation on metal electrodes that provide new insights the composition and structural dependence of this critical reaction for direct borohydride fuel cells. Continuing with the theme of emerging types of fuel cell, Ramani and co-workers review the most recent advances in anion exchange membranes with insights into both the most promising compositions and identifying the critical material requirements. This is complemented by the excellent review of anode electrocatalysts for direct alcohol anion exchange membrane fuel cells authored by Kabir and Serov. They focus their review on the critical need to understand how the complex interactions between structure, composition and physicochemical properties of the catalysts dictate the electrode performance. The goal of direct alcohol utilization within fuel cells is further discussed by Sridhar and co-authors who discuss the recent progress in developing both polymer electrolytes and electrocatalysts for proton conducting direct alcohol fuel cells. Finally, Luo and Alonso-Vante have authored an insightful discussion of the application of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) in fuel cell electrocatalysis where they can play the role of electrocatalytic centers, electrocatalyst supports, or as electrocatalyst precursors.

Steven McIntosh