Electroreduced Tantalum Pentaoxide for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Abstract A novel technique to activate tantalum pentaoxide is introduced. An electrochemical reductive treatment in acidic solution is found to be an effective method for transforming the Ta5+ in Ta2O5 to Ta<5+, in such a way that it is active for hydrogen evolution. This opens a new route to the development of metal oxide-based catalysts.