Durable Tungsten Carbide Support for Pt-Based Fuel Cells Cathodes

Abstract

In an effort to develop durable, corrosion-resistant catalyst support materials for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, modified polymer-assisted deposition method was used to synthesize tungsten carbide (WC, WC 1−x ), which was later used as a support material for Pt-based oxygen reduction reaction catalyst, as an alternative for the corrosion-susceptible, carbon supports. The Pt-deposited tungsten carbide's corrosion-resistance, oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalysis, and durability were studied and compared to that of Pt/C. Bulk free carbon was found to be absent from the ceramic matrix which had particle size in the range of 2−25 nm. Tungsten carbide support appears to enhance the oxygen reduction activity on Pt, showing an increase in mass activity (nearly 2-fold at 0.85 V vs RHE) and specific activity (more than 7 times higher), alongside decrease in overpotential, in comparison to Pt/C. A significant increase in durability was also observed with the tungsten carbide-based system.

Fe–N–C Boosts the Stability of Supported Platinum Nanoparticles for Fuel Cells

“…In the past, more stable materials including metal oxides, − carbides, − and graphitized carbon − have been explored as support for Pt-based nanoparticles. The Cherevko group studied the carbon effect on dissolution from 2D and 3D models of Pt/C catalysts, emphasizing the role of carbon on the Pt dissolution trends .…”

Synergistic effect of Ru nanoclusters on WC1−x anchored on N-doped carbon nanosheets to promote highly efficient alkaline hydrogen evolution

“…3c) can be deconvoluted into four peaks at binding energies of 32.2, 34.3, 36 and 38.1 eV, in which the peaks at 32.2 and 34.3 eV can be attributed to the 4f 7/2 and 4f 5/2 orbitals of W 4+ from W-C bonding, while the other bands can be indexed to W 6+ . [43][44][45] The binding energy of W-C bonding in the spectrum of the Ru/WC 1−x @NC hybrid displays a slight negative shift in comparison to that of WC 1−x @NC, while the binding energy of metallic Ru exhibits a positive shift compared to those of Ru@NC, suggesting that the introduction of Ru leads to partial electron transport from the Ru nanoclusters to WC 1−x nanoparticles due to the W atom exhibiting a higher electronegativity than the Ru atom, and thus resulting in the accumulation of electrons around the W atoms, which is beneficial to the generation of H 2 on the surface of the WC 1−x nanoparticles. The high-resolution N 1s spectrum of the Ru/WC 1−x @NC hybrid (Fig.…”

Electroreduction of Ditungstate and Carbonate Anions in Chloride Melt

“…ВСТУП. На сьогодні карбіди вольфраму широко використовують у різних промислових процесах, включаючи гетерогенний каталіз та електрохімічні джерела струму (паливні елементи) [1][2][3][4][5]. Для таких застосувань необхідно, щоб матеріали були хімічно та електрохімічно стабільними, стійкими до каталітичних отрут, мали високу електронну провідність і питому поверхню.…”