Formation of tungsten carbide nanoparticles on graphitized carbon to facilitate the oxygen reduction reaction

Tungsten carbide nanoparticles with the average size less than 5 nm uniformly dispersed on the graphitized carbon matrix have been successfully synthesized by a one-step ion-exchange method. This route is to locally anchor the interested species based on an ionic level exchange process using ion-exchange resin. The advantage of this method is the size control of targeted nanomaterial as well as the graphitization of resin at low temperatures catalyzed by iron salt. The Pt nanoparticles coupled with tungsten carbide nanoparticles on graphitized carbon nanoarchitecture form a stable electrocatalyst (Pt/WC–GC). The typical Pt/WC–GC electrocatalyst gives a Pt-mass activity of 247.7 mA mgPt−1, which is much higher than that of commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst (107.1 mA mgPt−1) for oxygen reduction reaction due to the synergistic effect between Pt and WC. The presented method is simple and could be readily scaled up for mass production of the nanomaterials. •WC–graphite composite is synthesized through ion-exchange route.•WC has controllable sizes between 2 and 10 nm.•WC and graphite can be synthesized at low temperature of 750 °C.•WC–graphite composite gives synergistic effect on Pt electrocatalyst.