STUDY OF HYDROGEN OXIDATION ON CARBIDES

Hydrogen oxidation has been studied in acidic medium on either tungsten or mixed tungsten-molybdenum carbides. The experiments have been carried out with bulk carbides and carbon-supported catalysts. In the latter case, much higher activities were obtained. The maximum current value obtained was approximately equal to 4.8-mu-A cm-2 (considering the CO adsorption surface area) with a tungsten carbide dispersed on active carbon. The mixed tungsten-molybdenum catalysts show lower activities than the value mentioned above.