Citation: ZHONG Sheng-wen, HU Xian-chao, YU Yuan, YU Chang-lin, ZHOU Yang. Core-shell hierarchical tungsten carbide composite microspheres towards methanol electrooxidation[J]. Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology, ;2018, 46(5): 585-591. shu

Core-shell hierarchical tungsten carbide composite microspheres towards methanol electrooxidation

1.
Engineering Research Institute, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
2.
Key Laboratory of Power Batteries & Relative Materials, Ganzhou 341000, China
3.
Research Center of Analysis and Measurement, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, China

Corresponding author: ZHOU Yang, yangzhou1998@126.com
Received Date: 13 October 2017
Revised Date: 16 March 2018

Fund Project: Program of 5511 Talents in Scientific and Technological Innovation of Jiangxi Province 20165BCB18014National Natural Science Foundation of China 21506187National Natural Science Foundation of China 21567008National Natural Science Foundation of China 51404110Education Department Project Fund of Jiangxi Province GJJ150665Undergraduate Innovation Training Program XZG-16-08-14The project was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (51404110, 21567008 and 21506187), Education Department Project Fund of Jiangxi Province (GJJ150665), Program of 5511 Talents in Scientific and Technological Innovation of Jiangxi Province (20165BCB18014) and Undergraduate Innovation Training Program (XZG-16-08-14)

Figures(7)

Tungsten carbides microspheresare synthesized by in situ reduction of ammonium met tungstate microspheres (AMT) precursors as a function of reaction time under CO/CO₂ mixture atmosphere. The morphology, size and composition of the as-prepared tungsten carbide microspheres are characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Pt nanoparticles with a diameter of 4.6 nm are loaded onto the surface of WC microspheres using a conventional sodium borohydride reduction method. The electro-catalytic activity and stability toward methanol electrooxidation (MOR) are investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry(CA). The resultant Pt/WCO-6 h catalyst exhibits low onset potential and excellent catalytic performances in comparison to the commercial JM Pt/C and Pt/WC-15 h catalysts. Further investigation shows that besides the synergistic effect between WC and Pt, the existence of WO₂ might also play an important role in improving the electro-catalytic activity, indicating the positive effect of the surface oxide on the activity and stability of Pt/WC catalysts towards MOR.
- direct methanol fuel cells,
- methanol electrooxidation,
- tungsten carbide,
- electro-catalyst,
- tungsten oxidation
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