Core-Shell Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Acidic Medium

Abstract

Greenhouse gases have increased since the mid-20th century due to the heavy reliance on fossil fuels for power generation. Cars use petroleum derivatives, and electronic devices mostly run on energy from thermoelectric plants that use natural gas or coal. Therefore, the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere continues to increase; as a consequence, according to NASA data, in 2020, the planet's average temperature was 1.2°C. The 2015 Paris agreement establishes that the temperature must be kept below 1.5°C to avoid a catastrophe for the global ecosystem, with the disappearance of many species of plants and animals. The amount of CO2 must be reduced and energy obtained from clean sources to prevent the global temperature from exceeding 1.5°C, as well as improve the technologies that can use this energy in automobiles and electronic devices. In the continuing search for greener energy sources, lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen fuel cells are two technologies of public interest to achieve this goal.