Challenges in the understanding oxygen reduction electrocatalysis on transition metal oxides

Transition metal oxides are attractive noble metal-free catalysts of the oxygen reduction for application at the cathode of alkaline membrane fuel cells or metal-air batteries. However, despite of a rapidly increasing number of publications devoted to the oxygen electrocatalysis on transition metal oxides, a clear picture regarding the relations between their structure and composition on the one hand and electrocatalytic activity on the other hand is lacking. This short review discusses challenges facing researchers seeking to understand electrocatalysis of the oxygen reduction reaction on transition metal oxides.