Durable Tungsten Carbide Support for Pt-Based Fuel Cells Cathodes.

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), 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.

First-Principles Investigation of the Formation of Pt Nanorafts on a MoC Support and Their Catalytic Activity for Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

We use first-principles calculations to study the formation of Pt nanorafts and their oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalytic activity on MoC. Due to the high Pt binding energy on C atoms, Pt forms sheet-like structures on the MoC surface instead of agglomerating into particles. We find that the disordered MoC surface carbon arrangement limits the Pt sheet growth, leading to the formation of 4-6 atom Pt nanorafts.