Recent Advances of Electrocatalysts and Electrodes for Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cells: from Nano to Meter Scale Challenges

• Comprehensive review of direct formic acid fuel cells spanning from atomic-scale catalytic mechanisms to meter-scale device fabrication. • Highlights the critical gap between highly active formic acid oxidation catalysts and unsatisfactory device performance. • Discusses multiscale challenges including catalyst design, electrode structure, and mass transfer limitations. • Provides perspectives and opportunities to bridge the gap between catalyst activity and practical electrode performance.