Ti/SnO2-Sb Anodes With Ta2O5 Incorporation: Enhanced Oxygen Evolution Potential and Service Life

Ti/SnO 2 -Sb electrodes are widely used in electrocatalysis due to their high oxygen evolution potential (OEP) and low cost, but their practical application is limited by the short service life. In this study, Ti/SnO 2 -Sb electrodes were modified by introducing Ta 2 O 5 nanopowder through a thermal decomposition method to form SnO 2 -Ta 2 O 5 heterojunctions. The structural, morphological, and electrochemical properties of the electrodes with varying Ta 2 O 5 concentration were systematically investigated by XRD, XPS, FE-SEM, and electrochemical characterization techniques. Results show that Ta 2 O 5 incorporation induces lattice expansion, increases surface roughness, and improves the electrochemical active surface area by more than fourfold. The modified electrodes exhibit a significantly enhanced OEP of up to 2.20 V (vs. RHE), a threefold increase in double-layer capacitance, and a tenfold improvement (about 18 h) in accelerated service life under acidic conditions (100 mA/cm 2 ), compared to Ti/SnO 2 -Sb electrode. These findings demonstrate that Ta 2 O 5 doping effectively enhances catalytic activity, stability, and durability of Ti/SnO 2 -Sb electrodes, providing a promising strategy for the design of high-performance anodes for electrocatalytic applications.