Graphene-supported small tungsten carbide nanocrystals promoting a Pd catalyst towards formic acid oxidation
Abstract
Using a microwave assisting method, we successfully synthesized tungsten carbide nanocrystals with a hexagonal prism shape on graphene (WCP/G). The WCP nanocrystals are 5 nm in size and dominated by (01![[1 with combining macron]](https://www.rsc.org/images/entities/char_0031_0304.gif)
0), (100) and (100) facets with a preferred orientation of [0001]. An intermittent microwave heating (IMH) method is also utilized to load Pd nanoparticles (NPs) onto WCP/G to produce Pd–WCP/G, which displays a significant improvement as a catalyst for formic acid oxidation with peak current density increasing by a factor of 7, and notably enhanced durability. We believe this synthesis method of WCP/G opens new possibilities to research shape-controlled and high-surface-area transition metal carbide nanocrystals (TMCs) and developing them as efficient and low-cost catalysts or catalyst supports in a broad range of sustainable energy technologies.
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