In this study, the complete reaction mechanism of methanol decomposition on metallic Mo 2 C(001) and Mo/C-mixed Mo 2 C(101) hexagonal Mo 2 C crystalline phases was systematically investigated using planewave-based periodic density functional theory (DFT). The main reaction route for Mo 2 C(001) is as follows: CH 3 OH → CH 3 O + H → CH 2 O + 2H → CHO + 3H → CO + 4H → C + O + 4H. Hence, C,O, and H are the main products. It was found that the energy barrier for CO dissociation was low. Therefore, it was concluded that the Mo 2 C(001) surface was too active to be easily oxidized or carburized. The optimal reaction pathway for Mo 2 C(101) is as follows:Therefore, CH 4 is the major product. The hydrogenation of CH 3 leading to CH 4 showed the highest energy barrier and the lowest rate constant and should be the rate-determining step. In addition, the formation of CO + 2H 2 was competitive on Mo 2 C(101), and the optimal path was CH 3 OH →The computed energy barrier and rate constant indicate that the rate-determining step is the last step in CO formation. In agreement with the experimental observations, the results provide insights into the Mo 2 C-catalyzed decomposition of methanol and other side reactions.suitable dehydrogenation pathway was CH 3 OH → CH 2 OH → CH 2 O → CHO → CO. On Pd(100), it was found that the dissociation of C-H is easier in the cases of CH 3 OH and CH 2 OH, and the cleavage of O-H is more favorable for CHOH. 10 It was concluded that the predominant pathway is CH 3 OH → CH 3 O → CH 2 O → CHO → CO on Rh(100) and Rh(110). 11 Recently, bimetallic catalysts, such as CuPd, 25,26 PtNi, [27][28][29] and RuPt, 30,31 have also been used in the reactions of methanol. Damte et al. 30 studied the decomposition of methanol on a Ru-Pt/boron-doped graphene surface and found that the lowest energy pathway was CH 3 OH → CH 3 O → CH 2 O → CHO → CO; they concluded that the initial O-H dissociation of methanol was more favorable than its desorption at 0.95 eV.Recently, carbides, especially molybdenum carbide, have attracted immense research attention as a new type of catalytic material. Molybdenum carbide is widely used in reactions involving hydrogen, such as MSR [32][33][34][35] and MD, 36-39 hydrodeoxygenation (HDO), [40][41][42] and hydrodesulfurization (HDS). [43][44][45] This is due to its noble metal properties, such as its strong ability to dissociate and absorb hydrogen, high stability, low price, and good catalytic performance. Koós et al. 32 explored MSR and MD on a K-promoted Mo 2 C/C catalyst exhibiting high thermal stability and found that the selectivity of H 2 reached 97-98% at 723 K. The results of Ma et al. 33 revealed that Ni-modi ed Mo 2 C showed high stability and catalytic activity for MSR. Széchenyi et al. 39 studied the decomposition of methanol and ethanol on unsupported Mo 2 C catalysts and found that an important feature of Mo 2 C catalysts is their high thermal stability at 573-723 K, and the main product of MD was H 2 , along with a small amount of CH 4 . The conversion of methanol reac...