Effect of carbon monoxide on the electrooxidation of hydrogen by tungsten carbide

The effect of carbon monoxide (CO) on the anodic oxidation of hydrogen by tungsten carbide (WC) electrocatalysts is described. CO poisoning of these base electrocatalysts is small, with reductions of ≤6% of the hydrogen current. Tests of the anodic oxidation of CO alone on these catalysts show the reaction to be very slow. The low degree of poisoning is quite reversible and ascribed to weak adsorption of CO on WC surfaces. The experiments have been conducted on a variety of WCs synthesised from several different routes, all showing similar results.