Growth of carbon nanoshells on tungsten carbide for loading Pt with enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stable anti-poisoning performance

Abstract

Carbon nanoshells (CNS), with 3 to 8 nearly transparent layers precipitated on WC particles, have been prepared by an in situ deoxidization approach. Because the decomposition of carbon atoms from the carbon source can be mediated by methanol, WO₃ can be fully deoxidized. When the remaining carbon atoms immigrate into the formed WC at the reaction temperature and emigrate out of the WC at decreased temperature, the carbon nanosheets eventually coalesce to form a large shell on the surface of the WC. When the WC–CNS composite was used as support for loading Pt nanoparticles, the obtained (WC–CNS)/Pt displayed significantly increased electrochemical activity (Pt, 10 wt%) and highly stable anti-poisoning properties. These results indicate that this WC–CNS composite, with peculiar morphology and size, could be used in electrochemistry and related fields.