Metal carbides electrochemical stability

Titanium Carbide. Carbides of transition metals are known for their hardness, wear resistance and also for their high electrical conductivity, which makes them attractive as a refractory coating material for cutting tools or bearings. Only little work has been done on the electrochemical stability of transition metal carbides with the exception of TiC, where a corrosion and passivation mechanism was suggested by Hintermann et al. [119,120]. This mechanism was confirmed on amorphous TiC produced by metal-... 

Electrochemical Stability. Electrochemical stability is the major concern for any electrocatalysts because they are used in highly corrosive conditions of electrolytes and applied potential. Among the metal carbides, tungsten carbides have been studied most extensively due to the resemblance of their electro-catalytic behavior to that of platinum, which is the most commonly used electrocatalyst. 

Electrocatalytic Reduction of Oxygen. Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) occurs on the cathode side of low temperature fuel cells and heavily loaded Pt/C is the most common electrocatalyst. Replacement of ORR catalysts with less expensive materials would have higher technical impact than for anode catalysts. Transition metals loaded carbides and carbide-metal codeposited carbon have been investigated for ORR application. For example, 40 wt% Pt/WC electrocatalyst prepared with RDE electrode showed a cathodic current (-5 x 10 A) similar to that of 40 wt% Pt/C with 0.5 M H2SO4, 100 mv/s and 2000 rpm (160). Also, 40 wt% Pt/WC exhibited electrochemical stability after 100 cycles of cyclic voltammetry from 0 to 1.4 V (vs RHE), whereas the cathodic current of 40 wt% Pt/C disappeared after 100 cycles. 

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