Highly dispersed nanocrystallines WC supported on microwave exfoliated RGO by ionic liquid and its catalytic performance in electroreduction of nitrobenzene

Tungsten carbide (WC) nanocrystallines were loaded onto the surface of microwave-exfoliated reduced graphene oxide (RGO) using program-controlled reduction–carbonization technique and modified impregnation method in the presence of ionic liquid (IL). The characterization results show that WC nanocrystallines with a size of ca.80 nm were highly dispersed on RGO with the assistance of IL. The electrocatalytic activity of the prepared WC/RGO (IL) was evaluated in the nitrobenzene reduction reaction. It was found that the WC/RGO (IL) gave better activity and stability than single RGO or WC/RGO that were prepared in the absence of IL. The high activity of WC/RGO (IL) can be explained to be the result of the synergistic function between WC and RGO. It was also proved that the pre-treatment of GO by microwave-exfoliated method was an effective way to form the graphene-based intercalation materials. Our study demonstrated that WC/RGO (IL) could be a promising alternative catalyst toward the nitrobenzene electroreduction because of its higher performance and lower cost.