Abstract
Development of economical noble-metal-free electrocatalysts is important for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, phase-pure ditungsten carbide (W2C) nanocrystallines covered with thin carbon layer were fabricated via simple pyrolysis of urea and WO3 wires under catalyst-free condition at 700 °C. Phase composition of as-prepared samples, including W2N, W2C or WC, could be modulated by changing the amount of urea. Moreover, urea not only regulated their phase composition and carbon content, but also acted as a reducing agent for facilitating the formation of phase-pure W2C. Under optimized phase composition, the sample displayed excellent HER activity and remarkable stability in acid-solution. These prominent electrocatalytic performances could be attributed to phase-pure W2C dispersed in thin carbon layer with high conductivity, leading to enhanced the activity area. This study exhibits simple route for the fabrication of economical electrocatalysts under mild reaction conditions.
Published Version
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