Electrocatalysis, viii

Tungsten carbide — WC, belongs to a class of Group IV B-VIB transition metal carbides and nitrides, often referred to as interstitial alloys, in which the carbon and nitrogen atoms occupy the interstitial lattice positions of the metal [i]. These compounds possess properties known from group VIII B precious metals like platinum and palladium [ii]. Thus, they show remarkable catalytic activities, attributed to a distinct electronic structure induced by the presence of carbon or nitrogen in the metal lattice. Tungsten carbide resembles platinum in its electrocatalytic oxidation activity (- electrocatalysis) and is therefore often considered as an inexpensive anode electrocatalyst for fuel cell [iii] and -> biofuel cell [iv] application. 

Refs. [i] Inzelt G (2005) / Solid State Electrochem 9 245 [ii] Horanyi G (1980) Electrochim Acta 25 45 [iii] Horanyi G (2004) In Horanyi G (ed) Radiotracer studies of interfaces. Elsevier, Amsterdam, chapters 1,2,4,6 [iv] Horanyi G (2002) State of art present knowledge and understanding. In Bard AJ, Stratmann M, Gileadi E, Urbakh M (eds) Thermodynamics and electrified interfaces. Encyclopedia of electrochemistry, vol. 1. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, Chap. 3 [v] Horanyi G (1999) Radiotracer studies of adsorption/sorption phenomena at electrode surfaces. In Wieckowski A (ed) Interfacial electrochemistry. Marcel Dekker, New York, pp 477 [vi] Horanyi G, Inzelt G (1978) / Electroanal Chem 87 423 [vii] Horanyi G, Inzelt G, Szetey E (1977) / Electroanal Chem 81 395 [viii] Vertes G, Horanyi G (1974) / Electroanal Chem 52 47 [ix] Horanyi G (1994) Catal Today19 285 [x] Horanyi G (2003) Electrocatalysis - heterogeneous. In Horvath IT (ed) Encyclopedia of catalysis, vol. 3. Wiley Interscience, Hoboken, pp 115-155 [xi] Inzelt G, Horanyi G (2006) The nickel group (nickel, palladium, and platinum). In Bard AJ, Stratmann M, Scholz F, Pickett CJ (eds) Inorganic chemistry. Encyclopedia of electrochemistry, vol 7a. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, chap. 18... 

Since the appearance of the redox [ii, iii] and conducting [iv] polymer-modified electrodes much effort has been made concerning the development and characterization of electrodes modified with electroactive polymeric materials, as well as their application in various fields such as -> sensors, actuators, ion exchangers, -> batteries, -> supercapacitors, -> photovoltaic devices, -> corrosion protection, -> electrocatalysis, -> elec-trochromic devices, electroluminescent devices (- electroluminescence) [i, v-viii]. See also -> electrochemically stimulated conformational relaxation (ESCR) model, and -> surface-modified electrodes. 

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