Abstract
This work examines the ozone (O
3) electrogeneration at a tantalum oxide (TaO
x
) and Pt composite-coated Ti (Pt–TaO
x
/Ti) electrode in comparison with a smooth Pt electrode. Pt–TaO
x
/Ti electrode was prepared by thermal decomposition procedure. O
3 has been electrogenerated galvanostatically (100
mA
cm
−2) at room temperature in the presence of neutral supporting electrolyte using a Nafion membrane cell. A superior catalytic activity of the Pt–TaO
x
/Ti electrode towards O
3 evolution was observed. The current efficiency (ca. 11.7%) for O
3 generation at the Pt–TaO
x
/Ti electrode was found to be much higher than that (0.7%) obtained at smooth Pt electrode of the same geometrical area. The oxygen evolution overvoltage was found to be the controlling factor in O
3 electrogeneration. The stability of the composite electrode was examined by applying a constant current (50
mA
cm
−2) and then following the change in the electrode potential and current efficiency with time. SEM images proved the cracked-structure in the Pt–TaO
x
/Ti electrode and no apparent significant change in the morphology upon electrolysis.