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 (WC_P/G). The WC_P nanocrystals are 5 nm in size and dominated by (010), (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 WC_P/G to produce Pd–WC_P/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 WC_P/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.