Electrochemical behavior of tantalum in ethylene carbonate and aluminum chloride solvate ionic liquid

To investigate the electrochemical reduction mechanism of Ta(V) in ethylene carbonate and aluminum chloride (EC?AlCl₃) solvate ionic liquid, cyclic voltammetry experiments were conducted on a tungsten working electrode. Four reduction peaks were observed in the cyclic voltammogram of the EC?AlCl₃?TaCl₅ ionic liquid. The reduction peaks at ?0.55, ?0.72, and ?1.12 V (vs Al) were related to the reduction of Ta(V) to tantalum metal by three stages including the formation of Ta(IV) and Ta(III) complex ions. The reduction of Ta(III) to tantalum metal was an irreversible diffusion-controlled reaction with a diffusion coefficient of 3.7×10^?7 cm²/s at 323 K, and the diffusion activation energy was 77 kJ/mol. Moreover, the cathode products at 323 K were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results showed that tantalum metal and tantalum oxides were obtained by potentiostatic electrodeposition at ?0.8 V for 2 h.