A facile soft-template synthesis of ordered mesoporous carbon/tungsten carbide composites with high surface area for methanol electrooxidation

Ordered 2D hexagonal mesoporous carbon/tungsten carbide (OMC/WC) composite nanomaterials have been successfully synthesized for the first time by the soft-template method with ammonium metagungstate as tungsten precursor and poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(propylene oxide)–poly(ethylene oxide) tri-block copolymer (PEO–PPO–PEO) (F127) as a soft-template. With loaded Pt, the Pt@OMC/WC demonstrates better performance than the commercial PtRu@C for methanol electrooxidation in terms of specific mass activity by a factor of 2.4 (per mg Pt) and 3.2 (per mg metal). Its high activity could be attributed not only to the synergetic effect of WC, but also to its highly ordered nanostructure and large surface area for high utilization efficiency of Pt and desirable mass transportation in a porous electrode. This work is expected to provide a feasible approach for the preparation of ordered mesoporous self-supported metal carbides.

In the present work it is for the first time reported the synthesis of ordered mesoporous and tungsten carbide composites (OMC/WC) with high surface area by the soft-template method. It was found that having OMC/WC as Pt supports, the as-prepared Pt@OMC/WC electrocatalyst exhibits superior activity for methanol electro-oxidation than the commercial PtRu@C by a factor of 3.2 from the specific mass activity considering the total noble metal in the catalysts.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights
► High surface area ordered mesoporous and tungsten carbide composites (OMC/WC) prepared with soft template method.
► Pt@OMC/WC anode electrocatalysts were prepared and tested for methanol electro-oxidation.
► The as-prepared Pt@OMC/WC exhibits superior activity to the commercial PtRu@C.
► From the view of the specific mass activity Pt@OMC/WC is superior by a factor of 3.2.