A polytetraphenylporphyrin iron (II) (PTPPFe) oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst for aluminum-air fuel cells (AAFCs) is prepared. Thermogravimetric analysis results show that PTPPFe is stable at temperatures below 600 degrees C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that the active site of PTPPFe/C is Fe-N-4 in the porphyrin ring. Rotating disk electrode measurements in 1 mol L-1 NaOH solution demonstrate that the initial potential for ORR is 0.142 V vs. Hg/HgO/OH- (1 mol L-1 KOH, 0.098 V vs. NHE) at 20 degrees C, and that ORR mainly occurs through a four-electron process. The half-wave potentials for PTPPFe/C and the Pt/C catalyst are 0.071 and 0.079 V, respectively. Almost no performance degradation is observed over continuous cyclic voltammetry at 10 000 cycles, linear sweep voltammetry at 200 cycles, and 60 h of chronoamperometry test. After durability tests, the ultraviolet visible spectrum of PTPPFe does not change from the initial characteristics. The discharge performance of AAFC has a power density of 47.5 mW cm(-2) at 20 degrees C in 6 mol L-1 NaOH electrolyte solution. During continuous discharge for 10 h, the potential of AAFC decreases by less than 0.01 V at 40 mA cm(-2). Copyright (C) 2014, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.