Metal carbides as alternative electrocatalysts for energy conversion reactions

Abstract

Since Boudart’s pioneering work on the use of tungsten carbide as a non-precious metal catalyst for some important catalytic reactions, metal carbides have attracted continuous interest in heterogeneous catalysis. With ever-increasing importance of hydrogen-based energy cycle, metal carbides have received increasing attention as alternative electrocatalysts for Pt-group metal catalysts in renewable energy conversion reactions. This Mini-review provides recent advances in transition metal carbide (TMC)-catalyzed energy conversion reactions. We summarize major attributes of TMCs as electrocatalysts and highlight structural design and reactivity of TMCs for hydrogen-, oxygen-, and carbon-involving energy conversion reactions with notable examples. We also describe future challenges and opportunities of TMC electrocatalysts in this field.