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Template‐Free Pseudomorphic Synthesis of Tungsten Carbide Nanorods
Author(s) -
Yan Ya,
Zhang Lan,
Qi Xiaoying,
Song Hao,
Wang JingYuan,
Zhang Hua,
Wang Xin
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.201200877
Subject(s) - nanorod , electrocatalyst , materials science , tungsten carbide , tungsten , nanotechnology , carbide , catalysis , chemical engineering , nanoparticle , oxide , electrochemistry , metallurgy , chemistry , electrode , biochemistry , engineering
A unique nanorod‐structured tungsten carbide material with high specific surface area of 198 m 2 g −1 is successfully synthesized for the first time by pseudomorphic transformation of chemically synthesized WO 3 nanorods through a high‐temperature method. An electrocatalyst composed of Pt nanoparticles supported on WC nanorods demonstrates higher electrocatalytic activity for methanol electro‐oxidation, better tolerance to CO poisoning, and superior performance for cathodic electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution than a Pt/C catalyst. This work provides a novel method to synthesize high‐surface‐area nanorod‐structured WC materials by preparing oxide precursors with the desired external morphology, thus offering great potential for a broad range of applications of these materials in related reaction systems.