Reaction Of Methanol Research Articles

Tandem catalysts of different crystalline In2O3/sheet HZSM-5 zeolite for CO2 hydrogenation to aromatics

In tandem catalysts, not only good synergy between the two active components is required, but also the precise control of the spatial distribution between the two active components of metal oxides and zeolite is crucial for the migration and conversion of reaction intermediates in the direct conversion of CO2 to hydrocarbons. The correlation between the metal and the acidic site of zeolite has traditionally been simplified as “the closer, the better”. However, it should be noted that this principle only holds true for a portion of tandem catalysts. Therefore, this paper studied the effect of different crystalline In2O3 (cubic phase, hexagonal phase, and mixed cubic/hexagonal phase) and sheet HZSM-5 zeolite tandem catalysts on the activity of CO2 hydrogenation reaction under different spatial distribution. The generalized gradient approximation (GGA) of density functional theory (DFT) were used to simulate the adsorption energy of CO2 by oxygen vacancy on c-In2O3(111) and h-In2O3(104) planes, it was found that Ov1 on c-In2O3(111) and Ov4 on h-In2O3(104) had the strongest adsorption energy for CO2. In addition, it has been observed that the proximity of the two active components (e.g., during mortar mixing) results in decreased catalytic performance. This is due to the migration of metal In, which neutralizes the acid sites of zeolites and leads to inefficient conversion of methanol reaction intermediates to aromatics. As a result, CO2 conversion and aromatic selectivity are decreased.

Production of phenolic compounds from argan shell waste by reductive catalytic fractionation

AbstractFor efficient utilization of lignocellulosic biomass components, reductive catalytic fractionation appears as a promising biorefinery strategy. In this work, this concept of biomass valorization was used to study the potential of an unexplored feedstock, argan shells. This material was processed in a non-catalytic route and over a Pd/C catalyst in two different reaction media. The effects of the treatment temperature (250, 275, and 300 °C), as well as the catalyst loading (catalyst/argan shells mass ratio of 0.05 and 0.1 g/g), were also studied. The main product (lignin-derived oil) was thoroughly characterized using GC/MS/FID, SEC, and NMR. The highest monomer yields of 48–49 wt% based on the lignin content were obtained for n-butanol/water reaction medium at 300 °C using a Pd/C catalyst load of 0.1 g/g and for methanol reaction medium at 275 °C and 0.05 g/g. Significantly lower monomeric phenol yields were obtained in the non-catalytic route (4–19 wt% for n-butanol/water and 9–16 wt% for methanol). The main phenolic monomers in the catalytic pathway were 4-n-propanolguaiacol, 4-n-propanolsyringol, and 4-alkyl guaiacols and syringols, with some differences in the selectivities from one solvent to another. Graphical Abstract

Nanostructure-induced inhibition of oxygen evolution and enhancement of methanol electrooxidation on engineered anodized brass

To capitalize the improved electrical contact feature, a self-supported hybrid binary/ternary copper and zinc oxides (i.e., ZnO–Cu2O and Cu2O–ZnO–CuO) nanostructures have been generated via a simple potentiostatic mode of anodaization on alpha brass in an alkaline medium. The catalyst nanostructuring i.e., wheat-grain-like to nanograss type structure has improved the mass transport, sluggish kinetics of methanol electrooxidation reaction process, and hindered the competitive oxygen evolution reaction (OER) of direct methanol fuel cell. The catalytic poisoning phenomenon has not been noticed due to two different reaction processes in two potential regions. Interestingly, a significant reduction in overpotential (η10mAcm−2OER−CH3OH) has been noticed for S125@A1 and S125@A2 samples i.e., 236 mV and 350 mV, respectively. The enhancement of current density has been explained through inductive circuit perspective. So, the present study provides a better insights to design and utilize non-precious metal/alloy based catalyst with hindered OER and enhanced methanol electrooxidation reaction activity.

Mechanistic insight into the hydrogen transfer pathway for selective upcycling of PET to arenes

Selective upcycling of waste plastics into value-added chemicals is of great significance for achieving the resource utilization. In the present study, the selective transformation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into arenes (benzene, toluene and p-xylene, labeled as BTX) via one-pot reaction in methanol without external hydrogen supply was put forward, which included methanol reforming, PET methanolysis and following in-situ hydrodeoxygenation. Mechanistic insight into the hydrogen transfer pathway in methanol-mediated PET upcycling into BTX over Pt/TiO2 was systematically elucidated. Remarkably, isotope labeling experiments revealed that hydrogen atoms from methanol could be transferred to the aromatic rings, owing to the formation of electron-deficient sites during conjugation. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further confirmed that the cleavage of C–O bond in PET methanolysis derivatives took precedence over direct saturation of CO bond, followed by in-situ hydrodeoxygenation transformation for the production of BTX. Using Pt/TiO2 as catalyst for H-transfer upcycling of PET in methanol, desirable BTX yield of 77.96% could be achieved after 3 h reaction. The present research will supply a novel perspective for the high-value utilization of waste oxygen-rich plastics via hydrogen transfer manner.

Layer-by-Layer Assembly of CTAB-rGO-Modified MXene Hybrid Films as Multifunctional Electrodes for Hydrogen Evolution and Oxygen Evolution Reactions, Supercapacitors, and DMFC Applications.

Exceptional electrical conductivity and abundance of surface terminations like-F- and OH- leading to hydrophilicity make the family of 2D transition metal carbides/nitrides and carbonitrides (MXene) excellent candidates for energy storage and conversion applications. MXenes, however, undergo restacking of nanosheets via van der Waals interaction, hindering the active sites, leading to slow electronic and ionic kinetics, and ultimately affecting their electrochemical performance. Herein, we report binder-free cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-reduced graphene oxide (CTAB-rGO)-modified MXene hybrid films on nickel foam as a promising noble metal-free multifunctional electrode synthesized via layer-by-layer assembly and dip coating techniques, which effectively reduce restacking while improving the kinetics. The properties of the as-prepared electrocatalysts are investigated using various physiochemical characterizations and electrochemical measurements to accomplish the objective of "creating one kind of electrocatalyst for multiapplication" with a thorough understanding of the relationship between the material structure, morphology, and electrocatalytic performance. In energy conversion, the synergetic effect of MXene and the CTAB-rGO support helped increase the catalytic activity of the composite for electrochemical water splitting, demonstrating a current density of 10 mA/cm2 at an overpotential (η) of 360 V and a Tafel slope value of 56.6 mV/dec for hydrogen evolution reaction and a current density of 10 mA/cm2 at an overpotential (η) of 179 mV and a Tafel slope value of 47.03 mV/dec for oxygen evolution reaction in an alkaline medium. The electrode material also exhibited a higher oxidation current density (373.60 mA/cm2) compared to that of synthesized MXene toward methanol oxidation reaction in direct methanol fuel cell application. Additionally, the energy storage potential of CTAB-rGO modified MXene as electrode materials for supercapacitors with a high specific capacitance (544.50 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1) and a good capacity retention of 87% after 5000 cycles was studied. These findings of this work showcase the potential of the electrocatalyst in both conversion and storage of electrochemical energy.

Deactivation mechanism of CaO in a flow type dimethyl carbonate synthesis process

It is well known that calcium oxide (CaO) has better catalytic efficiency than most heterogeneous catalysts in many transesterification reactions. However, the gradual deactivation problem prevents its large-scale application in industry. In this paper, the deactivation mechanism of CaO in a fixed-bed reactor is investigated based on the transesterification reaction of propylene carbonate and methanol. The leaching amount of CaO during the reaction was estimated by the concentration of Ca in the products. The pretreated and recovered catalysts were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, TG-MS and SEM-EDS. It is evident from experiments and characterization that the deactivation process of CaO is accompanied by the leaching of calcium species and the generation of CaCO3, which are also verified by DFT calculations. At high temperature and high weight hourly space velocity, the deactivation was attributed to the formation of dense CaCO3 shell, which prevents the contact between the feedstock and the active species inside.

Data‐driven Design of Enhanced In‐based Catalyst for CO2 to Methanol Reaction

AbstractThe environmental impact of unsustainable CO2 emissions calls for immediate action. One of the main methods for large‐scale reduction of CO2 emissions is conversion of carbon dioxide to valuable feedstocks like energy carriers or chemicals. Realization of this goal requires catalysts showing high‐performance characteristics under the relevant industrial conditions. In recent years, In2O3‐based catalysts have been discussed as target materials for conversion of CO2 to methanol in the presence of hydrogen. Optimization of this catalytic system via conventional routes requires massive resources in terms of extensive testing, synthesis, and characterization. In our study, we take an alternative approach and exploit high‐throughput computation to create a database for oxygen vacancy formation energy and explore a large number of candidates, which motivates the selection of a subset of materials for the synthesis of bulk and supported catalysts, to be tested in hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol. The method shows the impact, as results show improved performance for selected candidates, compared to the reference In2O3‐system. This confirms the potential of the selected descriptors as criteria for a new way of targeted design of alternative catalysts.

Internal carbon loop strategy for methanol production from natural gas: Multi-objective optimization and process evaluation

In this study an internal carbon loop strategy for producing methanol from natural gas (NG) by introducing CO2 to enhance methanol productivity and minimize greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The overall process consists of a steam methane reforming (SMR) process (hydrogen production), methanol synthesis process (carbon utilization), crude methanol separation process, chemical absorption process (carbon capture), and CO2 compression and storage processes (carbon storage). Methanol was produced using hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide as the products and by-products of the steam methane reforming process. In particular, the pressure of the compressed CO2 for storage was utilized to enhance profitability. A strategy for injecting the pressurized CO2 into the reforming reactor, methanol reactor, or splitting it between the two reactors was examined. The process variables used were the steam/natural gas ratio (1.5, 2.0, 2.5), CO2/natural gas ratio (0–0.5), natural gas flow rate (3000 kmol/h), reforming reaction pressure (5 barg), and methanol reaction pressure (80 barg). Methanol production was 2800–3000 tonMeOH/day under according to operating conditions. Carbon pricing was considered to assess the feasibility of installing and operating a carbon capture and storage (CCS) unit. The effect of the process economic and environment variables was investigated on total energy duty, levelized cost of methanol (LCOM) from a techno-economic analysis (TEA) perspective, and global warming potential (GWP) from a life cycle assessment (LCA) standpoint using local sensitivity analysis (LSA). Subsequently, multi-objective optimization (MOO) for levelized cost of methanol and global warming potential was performed to find optimal operating variables and establish various relevant scenarios. Scenario analysis reveals that implementing an internal carbon loop strategy through relatively simple retrofits can increase levelized cost of methanol by 12.8% while reducing global warming potential by 41.5%.

Comparison of Mono-Ethylene Glycol Prebiotic Synthesis Efficiency via Formose Reaction in Methanol and Water as Solvents: A Short Communication

Comparison of Mono-Ethylene Glycol Prebiotic Synthesis Efficiency via Formose Reaction in Methanol and Water as Solvents: A Short Communication

An online sensor-less methanol concentration monitoring method for direct methanol fuel cell based on the voltage decay rate during the rest cycle

Monitoring the methanol concentration is critical for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) reliability. However, monitoring the concentration is expensive due to the high cost of concentration sensors. This paper describes an advanced sensor-less method for monitoring methanol concentration during the rest cycle of a DMFC using the voltage decay rate (kvt). Based on the dynamic behavior of methanol mass transfer and reaction in DMFC during the rest cycle, a feedback equation for methanol concentration is constructed in this method. The rationality of the feedback equation is then confirmed through a series of sensitivity analysis experiments at various methanol concentrations, cell temperatures, and load currents. In addition, 1,900 experiments under random conditions simulating practical applications are used to assess the accuracy of the feedback equation. According to the results, 89.6% of the 1,900 experiments have concentration prediction errors of less than 0.05 mol L−1. The mean error and standard deviation of error are found to be 0.005 mol L−1 and 0.031 mol L−1, respectively. These findings point to the desired accuracy and stability of the sensor-less method, as well as promising applications in a variety of scenarios.

FeNC Catalysts with High Catalytic Activity and Stability for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Although Pt-based catalysts have been considered as the most effective electrocatalyst for the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), they still suffer from the drawbacks of high cost, poor long-term stability and methanol/ CO poisoning effects. Thus, developing low-cost ORR catalysts with high efficiency, durability and antipoisoning ability is of paramount importance. Herein, a series of non-noble metal FeNC materials are prepared through a facile pyrolysis process and used as the electrocatalysts toward ORR in alkaline electrolyte. Results show that the Fe0.50NC-800-1h catalyst pyrolyzed at 800 ºC for 1 h with the mass ratio of Fe(NO3)3•6H2O to melamine being 0.50 exhibits the highest catalytic performance among the as-prepared FeNC catalysts. The half-wave potential of ORR is ca. 0.81 V, which is only 38 mV lower than that on the noble metal Pt/C catalyst. Besides, it also displays higher stability and methanol tolerance than Pt/C. There is almost no change in the current during the chronoamperometric test when methanol is added in the electrolyte whereas significant decrease is found on Pt/C catalyst. This study of FeNC catalysts provides new insights on understanding the ORR mechanism and suggests a promising strategy to develop low-cost and highly efficient non-noble metal electrocatalysts for ORR.

YSZ-based mixed potential sensor attached with NiSb2O6 electrode for methanol monitoring

Methanol, as the raw material of new fuel cells, is flammable, explosive and dangerous. The leakage monitoring of methanol in high-temperature methanol fuel cells is necessary and challenging. Herein, a wide detection range of Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ)-based mixed potential methanol gas sensor equipped with NiSb2O6 sensing electrode (SE) was developed. The sensor possesses wide detection range of 0.1–500 ppm and presents sensitivity of − 84.13 mV/decade to 5–500 ppm methanol at 570 °C. The sensor also has good moisture resistance, reliable repeatability, long-term stability and obvious selectivity for methanol. We also show the adsorption characteristics as well as the possible chemical reaction of methanol with NiSb2O6 material during transmission process. This work offers a new gas-sensing detection strategy for methanol leakage in high-temperature fuel cells and leads to more consideration on the selection of SE materials.

Activation of carbon dioxide with surface oxygen vacancy of ceria catalyst: An insight from in-situ X-ray absorption near edge structure analysis

The concentrations of oxygen vacancy (Ov) and trivalent Ce ions (Ce3+) have been widely recognized as key reactivity descriptors to the CeO2-based catalysts. Nonetheless, the Ov and Ce3+ concentrations of CeO2-based catalysts are often determined by ex-situ characterizations without considering their interactions with reactants, a situation that is difficult to reflect their effective amounts participated in the catalytic process. In this study, a series of CeO2 catalysts with varied Ov and Ce3+ concentrations were prepared by a hydrothermal method followed by calcination at different temperatures. These CeO2 catalysts were characterized and assessed by the synthesis of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from the reaction of CO2 and methanol. Using in-situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy without and with CO2 adsorption, the quantitative analysis of effective Ce3+ (associated with surface Ov) present in CeO2 catalysts for DMC synthesis is achieved. These results shed light on the critical role of surface Ov in CeO2 catalysts for non-reductive conversion of CO2 as well as the importance of in-situ characterizations for effective Ov and Ce3+ concentrations in CeO2 catalysts.

Investigation on in-situ deoxygenation performance of bio-oil model compound guaiacol over Ce-Fe/Al2O3 catalyst

The investigation of the low-cost deoxygenation of guaiacol (GUA, a model bio-oil compound) is of importance for upgrading bio-oil. At present, common sulfide catalysts for GUA deoxygenation reactions cause contamination of the liquid product, and noble metal catalysts are economically disadvantageous. In this study, four reduced Fe-based oxides with different Ce doping ratios were prepared and their effects on the in-situ deoxygenation performance of GUA in aqueous/methanol hydrogen donor solvents were explored. The results based on the deoxygenation degree, conversion degree, and higher heating value (HHV) of the products showed that the oxide catalyst with a Fe/Ce molar ratio of 2:1 in the methanol solvent performed very well. After selecting an excellent catalyst and a better hydrogen donor solvent, four factors (reaction temperature, reaction time, volume ratio of GUA dosage and methanol dosage, and the ratio of catalyst dosage at the bottom of the reactor to that at the top) in the deoxygenation degree of GUA were investigated using an orthogonal experimental method to further explore the performance of the catalyst. The results showed that the reaction temperature and time greatly influenced GUA deoxygenation. Under optimal experimental conditions, the deoxygenation degree and conversion degree of GUA could reach 34.36% and 92.56%, respectively, based on the relative peak area of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and the HHV of the liquid product was 32.27 MJ/kg. Although Fe/Ce catalysts mainly promote demethoxylation, demethylation, and methylation, the stability and quality of the liquid products were improved compared with GUA owing to the reduction in phenolic hydroxyl and ether content. The reduced catalyst in the process of GUA in-situ deoxygenation reactions in methanol maintained a steady performance, as revealed by X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence.

Inhibitory activity of catecholic phosphonic and phosphinic acids against Helicobacter pylori ureolysis

Catechols have been reported to be potent covalent inhibitors of ureases, and they exhibit activity by modifying cysteine residues at the entrance to enzymatic active sites. Following these principles, we designed and synthesized novel catecholic derivatives that contained carboxylate and phosphonic/phosphinic functionalities and assumed expanded specific interactions. When studying the chemical stability of the molecules, we found that their intrinsic acidity catalyzes spontaneous esterification/hydrolysis reactions in methanol or water solutions, respectively. Regarding biological activity, the most promising compound, 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3-phosphonopropionic acid (15), exhibited significant anti-urease potential (Ki = 2.36 μM, Sporosarcinia pasteurii urease), which was reflected in the antiureolytic effect in live Helicobacter pylori cells at a submicromolar concentration (IC50 = 0.75 μM). As illustrated by molecular modeling, this compound was bound in the active site of urease through a set of concerted electrostatic and hydrogen bond interactions. The antiureolytic activity of catecholic phosphonic acids could be specific because these compounds were chemically inert and not cytotoxic to eukaryotic cells.

Mechanistic Origin of Selective Methane to Methanol Oxidation on Vanadium-Doped Mesoporous Amorphous Silica Photocatalyst

Selective direct oxidation of methane to methanol is an important reaction for efficient utilization of natural gas. Photocatalytic routes for methane oxidation processes have advantages over traditional thermal catalysis as they can be more easily deployed at small-scale and remote off-grid sites, potentially reducing the rate of methane release and flaring. Hu and co-workers identified single-site vanadium-doped mesoporous amorphous silica photocatalysis which demonstrated methane conversion with high methanol selectivity ( J. Photochem. Photobiol., A 2013, 264, 48−55, DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2013.05.005). Photocatalysts using amorphous SiO2 frameworks are significantly less studied than other heterogeneous photocatalysts. As a result, computational studies are important for elucidating mechanisms in order to gain fundamental understanding as to how amorphous SiO2-based photocatalysts can be used for partial oxidation of methane. This work uses density functional theory to establish the reaction barriers associated with the photocatalytic methane to methanol reaction combined with microkinetic modeling. The work is able to elucidate the role of terminal versus bridging oxygens at the photocatalytic center in enhancing photocatalytic efficiency. In addition, avoiding non-Mars–van Krevelen reaction pathways, in which the oxygen vacancy is filled before methanol is formed, is found to be important, owing to overstabilization of reaction intermediates leading to subsequent high energy reaction barriers. Finally, the amorphous SiO2 surface is found to modify reaction barriers by stabilizing intermediates through dispersion and preventing the photocatalytic center from forming the optimum coordination geometry.

Alloying with Mn Enhances the Activity and Durability of the CoPt Catalyst toward the Methanol Oxidation Reaction.

To improve the catalytic performance and durability of Pt catalysts used for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), alloying of Pt with other transition metals such as Ru, Co, Ni, and Fe is considered an effective approach. Despite the significant progress made in the preparation of bimetallic alloys and their utilization for MOR, improving the activity and durability of the catalysts to make them commercially viable remains a stiff challenge. In this work, trimetallic Pt100-x(MnCo)x (16 < x < 41) catalysts were successfully synthesized via borohydride reduction followed by hydrothermal treatment at 150 °C. The electrocatalytic performance of the synthesized trimetallic Pt100-x(MnCo)x (16 < x < 41) catalysts toward MOR was studied using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The results affirm that all Pt100-x(MnCo)x (16 < x < 41) alloys have superior MOR activity and durability as compared to bimetallic PtCo alloys and commercially available Pt/C (comm. Pt/C) catalysts. Among all the compositions studied, the Pt60Mn1.7Co38.3/C catalyst exhibited superior mass activity (1.3 and 1.9 times higher than those of Pt81Co19/C and comm. Pt/C, respectively) toward MOR. Furthermore, all the newly synthesized Pt100-x(MnCo)x/C (16 < x < 41) catalysts showed better CO tolerance when compared with comm. Pt/C. This improved performance of the Pt100-x(MnCo)x/C (16 < x < 41) catalyst can be attributed to the synergistic effect of Co and Mn on the Pt lattice.

Combined steam and dry reforming of methanol over Ni-M/Ce–Al2O3 (M=Fe, Cu, and Zn) catalysts to syngas formation

In the present work, the influences of different transition metals (Fe, Cu, and Zn) addition to Ni/Ce–Al2O3 catalyst on combined steam and dry reforming of methanol (CSDRM) reaction were evaluated in the temperature range of 500 ºC-900 °C, to achieve the higher conversion and H2 yield following by minimum coke formation on the catalyst surface. The fresh and spent catalysts were characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES), temperature programmed oxidation (TPO), N2 adsorption/desorption and temperature programmed reduction (TPR). Their results presented that the addition of these transition metals had a little effect on the crystallinity, surface area, pore volume and mean pore size. However, thermal stability, coke deposition coke amount, reducibility and catalytic activity were improved. The methanol conversion was approximately fixed up to 50 h initial on stream with no obvious deactivation for Ni/Ce–Al2O3 catalyst, while this time was 55 h for the modified catalyst with transition metals (Cu, Fe, and Zn). The maximum methanol and CO2 conversions and anti-coke deposition ability were obtained from Ni–Zn/Ce–Al2O3 which was remarkably related to synergism between Ni and Zn, also the larger reducibility. However, the maximum value of H2 yield was 85.2% at 900 °C over Ni–Cu/Ce–Al2O3 catalyst. Ni–Zn/Ce–Al2O3 catalyst in the CSDRM reaction produced syngas with an H2/CO ratio of 2.06, suggesting to a suitable feed for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.

Electro-catalytic Iodoplumbate Incorporating Two Types of Polymeric Anions

The development of the most promising electro-catalysts for the high-performance hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in neutral media is exceedingly desirable. Here, the convenient hydrothermal reaction of PbI2, 3-pyrazinyl-1,2,4-triazole (3-pt), KI, and methanol in HI aqueous solution acquired an organic hybrid iodoplumbate [mtp][Pb2I5][PbI3]·0.5H2O (denoted as PbI-1, mtp2+ = 3-(1,4-dimethyl-1H-1,2,4-triazol-4-ium-3-yl)-1-methylpyrazin-1-ium), which not only provided an infrequent in situ organic mtp2+ cation that originated from the hydrothermal N-methylation reaction of 3-pt in acidic KI solution but also offered the rare example of organic hybrid iodoplumbate incorporating both one-dimensional (1-D) [PbI3-]n and two-dimensional (2-D) [Pb2I5-]n polymeric anions with one configuration of the mtp2+ cation. PbI-1 was applied for the construction of a Ni nanoparticle decorating the PbI-1 electrode (Ni/PbI-1/NF) via successive coating and electrodeposition onto the porous Ni foam (NF) support. The fabricated Ni/PbI-1/NF electrode that served as the cathodic catalyst showed excellent HER electro-catalytic activity.

High-performance Mo2C/MWCNT electrocatalyst for MOR: Comparison with MoO2/MWCNT and MoO3/MWCNT

Methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) in the direct methanol fuel cells involves six electron transfer processes, and noble metal based catalysts such as Pt and Pd are still recognized as efficient catalysts for MOR. It is generally accepted that the reaction is mainly related to the d states of precious metal-based catalysts. Transition metal carbides and noble metals exhibit similar d band structure and catalytic properties, among which molybdenum carbide is an effective catalyst. However, molybdenum carbide-based catalysts have not been used in methanol electrooxidation reactions until the present moment, and we tried to use Mo2C/MWCNT for the MOR reaction. Compared with MoO2/MWCNT and MoO3/MWCNT, it is found that Mo2C/MWCNT shows the highest electrocatalytic activity, and the current density of Mo2C/MWCNT is 185 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH+1 M CH3OH at 0.70 V (vs. Hg/HgO). The current density is about 2.2 times and 1.4 times higher than those of MoO2/MWCNT and MoO3/MWCNT catalysts, respectively, and the electrochemical impedance also decreases markedly. The current density retains 76.19% of the initial catalytic activity after 10 h at the Mo2C/MWCNT electrode, indicating that the catalyst has superior stability for MOR. The reaction pathway of MOR on Mo2C/MWCNT is as follows: CH3OH∗ → CH3O∗→ CH2O∗ → CH2OOH∗ → CH2OO∗ → CHOO∗ → CO2∗. The result not only expands the Mo2C application area, but also provides a new idea for the design of the MOR catalyst.