Multifunctional composites containing molybdenum carbides as potential electrocatalysts

The aim of the current study is to determine the feasibility of introducing fuel cell functionality on the surfaces of carbon-based composite materials. This can potentially be achieved by the synthesis of molybdenum carbides on the surfaces of carbon foam, which is a light and rigid material that can be used as structural components in aircrafts and vehicles. The current study employed physical vapor deposition (PVD) to deposit molybdenum on the carbon foam substrate. The ratio of surface molybdenum and surface carbon was determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The combination of PVD and in situ XPS allowed for the synthesis of molybdenum-coated carbon foam samples with desirable and reproducible Mo/C ratios. The coated films were then heated in vacuum to promote the reaction between molybdenum and carbon foam to produce surface molybdenum carbides. The carbide-coated samples were further characterized using XPS, near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Platinum metal was also deposited via PVD on carbon foam, both with and without the presence of molybdenum carbide on the foam surface. The electrochemical stability of Pt-coated foams was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV).