Synthesis of macroscopic SiC nanowires at the gram level and their electrochemical activity with Pt loadings Original Research Article

Macroscopic SiC nanowires (SiCNWs) were successfully synthesized at the gram level (2–4 g h−1) by using a simple solid–vapor reaction of silicon powders and carbon oxides, assisted by ZnS. This results in a promising material for a wide range of applications. The obtained products possess a small size of 10–30 nm and a good single-crystal structure. In addition, a specific surface area of 1.6 m2 g−1 was achieved. A high electrochemical activity to H2 adsorption/desorption and methanol oxidation was observed from cyclic voltammograms in H2SO4 and H2SO4/CH3OH solutions after loading with 50 wt.% Pt. Furthermore, a high catalytic performance for oxygen reduction at ∼0.57 V and good chemical stability were displayed. The novel SiCNW-supported catalyst shows potential for fuel cells with long lifetimes.