Tungsten Carbide Nanofiber Prepared by Electrospinning for Methanol Oxidation Reaction

Takayuki Ishikawa; Mohammad Ali Abdelkareem; Takuya Tsujiguchi; Nobuyoshi Nakagawa

doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.596.55

Paper Titles

Composition Dependence of the Glass Network Structure in Li⁺-ion Conducting Glasses of (LiCl)_x(LiPO₃)_{1-_x} Studied by ³¹P MAS NMR
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Improvement of Photovoltage in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with Azobenzene and Azulene Sensitizing Dyes by Applying Br₃^-/Br^- Redox Mediator
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Nitrification of Nb-Modified Titanias Prepared by the Solvothermal Method and their Photocatalytic Activities under Visible-Light Irradiation
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In Situ SAXS Analysis during Uniaxial Drawing of Polyethylene-block-Polystyrene Copolymer Film
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Tungsten Carbide Nanofiber Prepared by Electrospinning for Methanol Oxidation Reaction
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Sintering of Copper Sub-Micron Particles by Heat and Atmospheric Pressure Non-Equilibrium Plasma Treatments
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Functional-Group-Retaining Polymerization of Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate by Atmospheric Pressure Non-Equilibrium Plasma
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Fabrication of 6-nm-Sized Nanodot Arrays with 12 nm-Pitch along Guide Lines Using both Self-Assembling and Electron Beam-Drawing for 5 Tbit/in² Magnetic Recording
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Ordering of Self-Assembled Nanodots Improved by Guide Pattern with Low Line Edge Roughness for 5 Tbit/in.² Patterned Media
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Tungsten Carbide Nanofiber Prepared by Electrospinning for Methanol Oxidation Reaction

Abstract:

Tungsten carbide nanofibers for the anode catalyst of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) were prepared from the precursor nanofibers with the diameter around 250 nm using an electrospinning technique. The electrospun nanofibers from the mixture of ammonium metatungstate and polyvinylpyrrolidone were dried and calcined in air at 700 °C to form tungsten oxide nanofibers, and reduced in 20 vol.% CH₄/H₂ atmosphere at 700 °C for 2 h. Surface morphology and crystalline structure of the prepared nanofibers were investigated using FE-SEM and XRD. The methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) activity of the prepared samples was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The FE-SEM and XRD analyses showed that beaded nanofibers of tungsten carbide were successfully obtained. The WC nanofiber electrocatalyst exhibited a MOR activity suggesting it can be a candidate of the catalyst for DMFC. The presence of impurities, carbon and tungsten oxide, which may affect the activity, were detected at the surface.