A research team led by Professors YANG Piaoping and HE Fei from the College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, in collaboration with Assistant Professor ZHANG Xiao from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, has achieved a significant breakthrough in cathode catalysis for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The team proposed a novel strategy for modulating medium-entropy nanoalloy structures centered on the rare earth element yttrium, establishing a complete mechanistic framework integrating “rare earth doping — crystal facet engineering — synergistic electronic structure reconstruction.” This approach substantially enhanced both the oxygen reduction catalytic activity and structural stability of the catalytic materials, offering innovative design concepts and application paradigms for the large-scale implementation of rare earth-based nanoalloys in electrochemical energy conversion devices.

Preparation, characterization, and device performance comparison of medium-

The research findings, titled “Yttrium-Doped PtFeNi Medium-Entropy Nanoalloys with Engineered (111) Facets for Boosting Oxygen Reduction Reaction,” have been published in Advanced Materials (AM), a leading journal in the materials science field. Gao Yijun, a 2023-level doctoral student from the College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, serves as the first author. Professors HE Fei and YANG Piaoping, along with Assistant Professor ZHANG Xiao, are the co-corresponding authors. Harbin Engineering University is credited as the primary affiliation.