Abstract: Catalysts comprising porous metal nanoparticles, which are individually encapsulated with a reaction-enhancing material, and their use in fuel cell catalysis are provided.

Abstract: A composite catalyst for a chemical reaction includes a porous metal catalyst that catalyzes a plurality of reactants to provide a reaction product, and a reaction-enhancing material disposed within pores defined by the porous metal catalyst. The reaction-enhancing material enhances attraction of at least one reactant of the plurality of reactants into the pores defined by the porous metal catalyst and enhances expulsion of the reaction product from the pores defined by the porous metal catalyst. A fuel cell according to an embodiment of the current invention has a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, and an electrolyte arranged between the first and the second electrodes. The at least one of the first and second electrodes is at least one of coated with or comprises a composite catalyst.