In pursuit of effective and less toxic materials for energy conversion, various materials for potential application in fuel cells were explored. Amongst the numerous types of fuel cells, direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs) are the most promising for use in portable appliances. Unlike hydrogen fuel cells, which have safety, storage and distribution challenges, DAFCs utilise liquid fuels that can easily be stored in containers and transported. DAFCs can be classified as either alkaline direct alcohol fuel cells or acidic direct alcohol fuel cell depending on the pH of the electrolyte. Alkaline direct alcohol fuel cells continue to receive more attention due to their advantages.

The development and design of efficient catalysts for alcohol electrooxidation and oxygen reduction reactions is crucial in fuel cells. Catalyst activity and selectivity are influenced by many factors such as particle size, shape, composition, and synthesis method. Consequently, precise control of these parameters is crucial for the rational design of effective, durable, and stable electrocatalysts for alkaline direct alcohol fuel cells. Catalyst design strategies include the search for optimal formulations, catalyst supports and methodologies for catalyst preparations. In this presentation, I will discuss some of the synthesized electrocatalysts using some of our published work.