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A Combined Surface Science and Electrochemical Study of Tungsten Carbides as Anode Electrocatalysts

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Abstract

An effective anode electrocatalyst in direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) should have high activity for the oxidation of methanol and the decomposition of water, while remaining stable under the relatively harsh anode environment. Although the Pt/Ru bimetallic alloy is currently the most effective anode electrocatalyst, both Pt and Ru are expensive due to limited supplies and both are susceptible to CO poisoning. Consequently, the discovery of less expensive and more CO tolerant alternatives to the Pt/Ru catalysts would help facilitate the commercialization of DMFC. In this paper we will discuss the possibility of using tungsten carbides (WC) and Pt-modified WC as potential anode electrocatalysts in DMFC. We will provide an overview of our recent work, using a combined approach of fundamental surface science studies and in-situ electrochemical evaluation of the activity and stability of tungsten carbides. We will demonstrate the feasibility to bridge fundamental surface science studies on single crystals with the electrochemical evaluation on polycrystalline WC films. We will also discuss the synergistic effect by supporting low coverages of Pt on the WC substrate to further enhance the electrochemical performance of WC.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences (Grant# DE-FG02-00ER15104) for funding of the UHV surface science studies. The synthesis and electrochemical evaluation of WC thin films are supported by the National Science Foundation (Grant # NSF/CTS 0518900).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Center for Catalytic Science and Technology (CCST), University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA

    Erich C. Weigert & Michael B. Zellner

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Center for Catalytic Science and Technology (CCST), University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA

    Alan L. Stottlemyer & Jingguang G. Chen

Authors
  1. Erich C. Weigert
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  2. Michael B. Zellner
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  3. Alan L. Stottlemyer
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  4. Jingguang G. Chen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jingguang G. Chen.

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Weigert, E.C., Zellner, M.B., Stottlemyer, A.L. et al. A Combined Surface Science and Electrochemical Study of Tungsten Carbides as Anode Electrocatalysts. Top Catal 46, 349–357 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11244-007-9006-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11244-007-9006-7

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