Electrochemical Reduction of Tantalum Compounds in Ambient Temperature Melts

Electrodeposition of tantalum metal was investigated in BMP- TFSI ambient temperature melts, as well as electrochemistry of tantalum pentachloride. No tantalum compound deposits from the melt containing TaCl5. The addition of LiF forms the tantalum compounds on the tungsten electrode by potentiostatic method. From the BMP-TFSI melts containing TaCl5, LiF and BMPBr, tantalum metal could deposit at 353K, although the surface of deposits was rough and contained the impurities such as chlorides and fluorides.