Synthesis of Nano-tungsten Carbide and Electrocatalytic Activity of Pt/WC

Nano-WC particles were prepared by Sol-Gel using tungsten powder as the tungsten source and phenol formaldehyde resin as carbon source.The working electrode of proton exchange membrane fuel cell was obtained from taking Nafion coating solution to the surface of the Pt/WC composite particles which was synthesized by reduc-tion of H2PtCl6.6H2O using carbinol(HCHO) as reducing agent from the suspended liquid mixed H2PtCl6.6H2O and WC.Fourier transform infrared spectroscope(FTIR),X-ray diffraction(XRD),SEM and transmission electron microscope(TEM) were used to characterize the samples and the precursors,and used cyclic voltammetry to test the electrochemical activity of working electrode.The results showed that WC of(100) preferred orientation could be fab-ricated by Sol-Gel method,its interplanar spacing was 0.25nm,and the interplanar spacing of Pt was 0.23nm with preferential orientation of(111).The current density of 10wt% Pt/WC was up to 28.5mA/cm2 in 0.5mol/L H2SO4,and the synergistic catalytic effect was found between nano-WC and Pt.