The XT 5% Iridium on Vulcan XC-72R Grade T catalyst manufactured by Fuel Cells ETC is a fine powder that can be used as an electrocatalyst in electrochemical devices and as a heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of various organics, such as:

Formic Acid Oxidation: As the anode catalyst in direct formic acid fuel cells
Methanol & Ethanol Oxidation: As the anode catalyst in direct alcohol fuel cells
Hydrogen Oxidation Reaction: As the anode catalyst in alkaline fuel cells
Chemoselective Hydrogenation of Nitroarenes: Reduction of chloro-nitroarenes or dinitrotoluene to amines while preserving halides or other groups
Hydrogenation of Quinoline and Heteroaromatics: Effective for ring hydrogenation in pharmaceutical intermediates
Transfer Hydrogenation: Using donors like isopropanol or formic acid for selective reduction of carbonyls, imines, or other groups in organic synthesis
Deuteration & Hydrogen Isotope Exchange: C-H activation for selective deuterium labeling of pharmaceuticals and organics using D₂O or other sources
Selective Hydrogenation of Unsaturated Compounds: Alkenes, alkynes, or α,β-unsaturated carbonyls with good control over over-reduction
Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of Biomass Derivatives:Conversion of furfural or related oxygenates to value-added chemicals/fuels
Selective Oxidation of Alcohols or Aldehydes: Thermal catalytic oxidation to carbonyl compounds or acids
CO Oxidation & Gas Purification: Removal of CO from hydrogen streams or environmental applications
Fine Chemicals & Pharmaceutical Synthesis: Broad use in heterogeneous catalysis for intermediates; recyclable Ir/C reduces metal contamination vs. homogeneous systems
Decomposition of Formic Acid: To H₂ and CO₂ for hydrogen storage/release applications
Hydrogenation of Carbonyls: Ketones or aldehydes to alcohols under mild conditions
Environmental Catalysis: VOC oxidation or pollutant remediation in gas or liquid phase
Biomass Upgrading & Lignin Derivatives: Selective bond cleavage or stabilization
and many other electrochemical and non-electrochemical end use cases

This product has a BET surface area of ~200-220 m²/gram. The average crystallite size for Ir nanoparticles is calculated as ~0.57 nm (amorphous or less than 1nm) for this product. The average particle size for this supported catalyst material is ~34.53 microns.

5% Iridium on Vulcan XC-72R Grade T Technical Specification Sheet

Catalyst Properties
Appearance	Fine, porous black powder
Molecular Formula	5 wt % Ir, 95 wt % high-surface-area carbon black (Vulcan XC-72R)
Molecular Weight	Not applicable (heterogeneous composite)
Purity	> 99.9% (3N)
Particle Morphology	Aggregated clusters of primary Ir nanoparticles
Average Particle Size	~34.53 µm (D₅₀, Laser Diffraction)
Particle Size Range	0 - 100 microns (measured with laser diffraction method)
BET Surface Area	~200 - 220 m2/gram
Bulk Density	~0.25 – 0.35 g cm⁻³
Color	Black
Structure	Hexagonal close-packed (fcc) Iridium
Database Reference	COD Card No. (1534947); JCPDS No. (06-0598)
Space Group	P63/mmc
Secondary Phases	None detected (only amorphous carbon support) (via PXRD)
Instrument for Powder XRD	Instrument: Rigaku MiniFlex 300/600 Cu-Kα radiation (λ = 1.5406 Å \| scan rate: 0.5°/min \| step size: 0.02°(2θ), 2θ range: 10–80° \| optics: Monochromator
Instrument for BET Surface Area Analysis	Anton Paar QuantaChrome NOVA
Adsorption Gas for BET Surface Area Analysis	N₂, Bath temperature: 77.3 K
Instrument for Particle Size Distribution (Laser Diffraction)	Beckman Coulter LS 13 320
Medium/Fluid for Particle Size Distribution	18 Megaohm DI-Water
Particle Size at D10	~18.31 µm (measured with laser diffraction method)
Particle Size at D25	~25.43 µm (measured with laser diffraction method)
Particle Size at D50	~34.53 µm (measured with laser diffraction method)
Particle Size at D75	~45.39 µm (measured with laser diffraction method)
Particle Size at D90	~56.02 µm (measured with laser diffraction method)