AVS 49th International Symposium
    Electrochemistry and Fluid-Solid Interfaces Monday Sessions
       Session EC+SS-MoM

Paper EC+SS-MoM7
Potential Application of Tungsten Carbides as Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) Electrocatalysts

Monday, November 4, 2002, 10:20 am, Room C-104

Session: Fuel Cells and Surface Electrochemical Reactions
Presenter: H.H. Hwu, University of Delaware
Authors: H.H. Hwu, University of Delaware
J.G. Chen, University of Delaware
Correspondent: Click to Email
The Pt/Ru anode in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC), though effective, is disadvantageous in terms of its prohibitively high costs and limited supplies. In this work, we are evaluating the effectiveness of tungsten and molybdenum carbides as alternatives to Pt/Ru electrocatalysts by studying their reactivities towards methanol, water, and carbon monoxide. Using Temperature Programmed Desorption (TPD) and High-Resolution Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (HREELS) the reaction pathways of these DMFC molecules on carbide-modified Mo(110), W(110), and W(111) can be understood. On both W(110) and W(111) carbide surfaces, methanol readily decomposes into gas-phase CO, methane, hydrogen, and surface carbon and oxygen. In addition, both tungsten carbide surfaces are active toward the dissociation of CO and water. Preliminary studies on the Mo(110) carbide surface also show strong decomposition activity toward methanol, but through a different pathway than either the W(110) or W(111) carbide surfaces. Results from parallel studies of DMFC molecules on thin film tungsten carbides will also be presented.