A metal-polymer-carbon composite catalyst for use as a cathode
electrocatalyst in fuel cells. The catalyst includes a heteroatomic
polymer; a transition metal linked to the heteroatomic polymer by one of
nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus, and a recast ionomer dispersed
throughout the heteroatomic polymer-carbon composite. The method includes
forming a heteroatomic polymer-carbon composite and loading the
transition metal onto the composite. The invention also provides a method
of making a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell that includes the
metal-polymer-carbon composite catalyst.