Diagnosis of the measurement inconsistencies of carbon-based electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline media

Finding inexpensive alternative catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is considered as one of the most overriding challenges in the development of electrochemical technologies. Although significant progress has been made in developing carbon-based ORR catalysts, there is difficulty in judging improvements in the catalysts due to the inconsistent results arising from differences in experimental conditions. In this review, we provide a diagnosis of the influence of key factors in the measured ORR activity of catalysts. Knowing the exact conditions when measuring ORR activity is of paramount importance in establishing a reference for relevant comparison of ORR performance in developed catalysts.