This study presents an iron-based cathode catalyst for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) that demonstrates enhanced power density and improved mass-transport properties. The catalyst is derived from a mixture of iron acetate, phenanthroline, and a zeolitic-imidazolate-framework (ZIF-8), which serves as a microporous host. After ball milling and pyrolysis, the catalyst exhibits a volumetric activity of 230 A cm⁻³ at 0.8 V, the highest reported for non-precious metal catalysts. In a fuel cell test, the catalyst achieved a power density of 0.75 W cm⁻² at 0.6 V, comparable to that of a commercial platinum-based cathode under identical conditions. The improved performance is attributed to the interconnected alveolar carbon nanostructure formed during the pyrolysis process, which enhances mass transport. The study highlights the potential of iron-based catalysts as a cost-effective alternative to platinum in PEMFCs, with the focus now on further improving their durability.This study presents an iron-based cathode catalyst for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) that demonstrates enhanced power density and improved mass-transport properties. The catalyst is derived from a mixture of iron acetate, phenanthroline, and a zeolitic-imidazolate-framework (ZIF-8), which serves as a microporous host. After ball milling and pyrolysis, the catalyst exhibits a volumetric activity of 230 A cm⁻³ at 0.8 V, the highest reported for non-precious metal catalysts. In a fuel cell test, the catalyst achieved a power density of 0.75 W cm⁻² at 0.6 V, comparable to that of a commercial platinum-based cathode under identical conditions. The improved performance is attributed to the interconnected alveolar carbon nanostructure formed during the pyrolysis process, which enhances mass transport. The study highlights the potential of iron-based catalysts as a cost-effective alternative to platinum in PEMFCs, with the focus now on further improving their durability.