Electrocatalysts for Fuel Cells
Minhua Shao
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology,
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Abstract Low temperature fuel cells are electrochemical devices that convert chemical energy directly to
electricity. They have great potential for both stationary and transportation applications and are expected to
help address the energy and environmental problems that have become prevalent in our society. Despite their
great promise, commercialization has been hindered by lower than predicted efficiencies and the high cost of
Pt-based electrocatalysts in the electrodes. For more than five decades, extensive work has being focused on
the development of novel electrocatalysts for fuel cell reactions. In this talk, I will present recent progress in
developing advanced electrocatalysts mainly for oxygen reduction reaction in my group, with an emphasis on
core-shell and shape controlled Pt- and Pd-based nanocrystals. The composition, morphology and size of
these catalysts on the catalytic activities will be explored. The mechanisms for activity enhancement will
also be discussed based on the results of density functional theory (DFT) calculations.
Minhua Shao is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). He earned BS and MS degrees in chemistry from
Xiamen University, and a PhD degree in materials science and engineering from the State University of New
York at Stony Brook in 2006. Dr. Shao joined UTC Power in 2007 to lead the development of advanced catalysts
and supports for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC). He was
promoted to UTC Technical Fellow and Project Manager in 2012. In 2013, he joined Ford Motor Company to
conduct research on lithium-ion batteries for the next generation electrified vehicles. He then joined HKUST in
2014. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles, 1 edited book and filed over 30 patent applications. He has
also received a number of awards, including the Supramaniam Srinivasan Young Investigator Award from the
ECS Energy Technology Division (2014), Student Achievement Award from the ECS Industrial Electrochemistry
and Electrochemical Engineering Division (2007), President’s Award to Distinguished Doctoral Students from
Stony Brook University (2006), Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad
from China Scholarship Council (2006), and Dr. Mow Shiah Lin Award from Brookhaven National Laboratory
(2006).