Transition metal carbides (WC, Mo2C, TaC, NbC) as potential electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at medium temperatures

Simon Meyer; Aleksey V. Nikiforov; Irina M. Petrushina; Klaus Köhler; Erik Christensen; Jens Oluf Jensen; Niels J. Bjerrum

doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.12.076

Transition metal carbides (WC, Mo₂C, TaC, NbC) as potential electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at medium temperatures

Simon Meyer, Aleksey V. Nikiforov, Irina M. Petrushina, Klaus Köhler, Erik Christensen, Jens Oluf Jensen, Niels J. Bjerrum

Associate Professorship of Inorganic Chemistry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

191 Scopus citations

Abstract

One limitation for large scale water electrolysis is the high price of the Pt cathode catalyst. Transition metal carbides, which are considered as some of the most promising non-Pt catalysts, are less active than Pt at room temperature. The present work demonstrates that the situation is different at medium temperatures (200-400°C). By introducing a new setup which makes use of molten KH₂PO₄ as electrolyte, a model system for solid acid membrane electrolyser cells was obtained. Metal carbide coated wires prepared by a two-step oxidation-carburization reaction of the metal wire surfaces were used as electrodes and allowed the measurement of the intrinsic catalytic properties of different transition metal carbides in direct comparison to Pt at 260°C. Under these conditions, the activity in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) followed the order WC > Pt ≈ Mo₂C > NbC > TaC.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2905-2911
Number of pages	7
Journal	International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Volume	40
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.12.076
State	Published - 23 Feb 2015

Keywords

Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER)
Medium temperature water electrolysis
Molten potassium dihydrogen phosphate
Non-platinum electrocatalyst

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.12.076

Cite this

@article{42148f6580bd4fd89d6663c61df76579,

title = "Transition metal carbides (WC, Mo2C, TaC, NbC) as potential electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at medium temperatures",

abstract = "One limitation for large scale water electrolysis is the high price of the Pt cathode catalyst. Transition metal carbides, which are considered as some of the most promising non-Pt catalysts, are less active than Pt at room temperature. The present work demonstrates that the situation is different at medium temperatures (200-400°C). By introducing a new setup which makes use of molten KH2PO4 as electrolyte, a model system for solid acid membrane electrolyser cells was obtained. Metal carbide coated wires prepared by a two-step oxidation-carburization reaction of the metal wire surfaces were used as electrodes and allowed the measurement of the intrinsic catalytic properties of different transition metal carbides in direct comparison to Pt at 260°C. Under these conditions, the activity in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) followed the order WC > Pt ≈ Mo2C > NbC > TaC.",

keywords = "Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), Medium temperature water electrolysis, Molten potassium dihydrogen phosphate, Non-platinum electrocatalyst",

author = "Simon Meyer and Nikiforov, {Aleksey V.} and Petrushina, {Irina M.} and Klaus K{\"o}hler and Erik Christensen and Jensen, {Jens Oluf} and Bjerrum, {Niels J.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2014 Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC.",

year = "2015",

month = feb,

day = "23",

doi = "10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.12.076",

language = "English",

volume = "40",

pages = "2905--2911",

journal = "International Journal of Hydrogen Energy",

issn = "0360-3199",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",

number = "7",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Transition metal carbides (WC, Mo2C, TaC, NbC) as potential electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at medium temperatures

AU - Meyer, Simon

AU - Nikiforov, Aleksey V.

AU - Petrushina, Irina M.

AU - Köhler, Klaus

AU - Christensen, Erik

AU - Jensen, Jens Oluf

AU - Bjerrum, Niels J.

PY - 2015/2/23

Y1 - 2015/2/23

N2 - One limitation for large scale water electrolysis is the high price of the Pt cathode catalyst. Transition metal carbides, which are considered as some of the most promising non-Pt catalysts, are less active than Pt at room temperature. The present work demonstrates that the situation is different at medium temperatures (200-400°C). By introducing a new setup which makes use of molten KH2PO4 as electrolyte, a model system for solid acid membrane electrolyser cells was obtained. Metal carbide coated wires prepared by a two-step oxidation-carburization reaction of the metal wire surfaces were used as electrodes and allowed the measurement of the intrinsic catalytic properties of different transition metal carbides in direct comparison to Pt at 260°C. Under these conditions, the activity in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) followed the order WC > Pt ≈ Mo2C > NbC > TaC.

AB - One limitation for large scale water electrolysis is the high price of the Pt cathode catalyst. Transition metal carbides, which are considered as some of the most promising non-Pt catalysts, are less active than Pt at room temperature. The present work demonstrates that the situation is different at medium temperatures (200-400°C). By introducing a new setup which makes use of molten KH2PO4 as electrolyte, a model system for solid acid membrane electrolyser cells was obtained. Metal carbide coated wires prepared by a two-step oxidation-carburization reaction of the metal wire surfaces were used as electrodes and allowed the measurement of the intrinsic catalytic properties of different transition metal carbides in direct comparison to Pt at 260°C. Under these conditions, the activity in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) followed the order WC > Pt ≈ Mo2C > NbC > TaC.

KW - Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER)

KW - Medium temperature water electrolysis

KW - Molten potassium dihydrogen phosphate

KW - Non-platinum electrocatalyst

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84922387036&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.12.076

DO - 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.12.076

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84922387036

SN - 0360-3199

VL - 40

SP - 2905

EP - 2911

JO - International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

JF - International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

IS - 7

ER -