Effect of the Morphology of TNTAs Interlayer on the Service Life and Ozone Generation Performance of Ti/NATO Electrodes

Ti/SnO2-Sb-Ni (Ti/NATO) is an effective anode for electrochemical ozone production (EOP), yet its limited service life hinders practical use. TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) with tunable inner diameter, outer diameter, and length were constructed on Ti substrates as an interlayer, and their geometric effects on the stability, electrochemical behavior, and ozone generation of Ti/NATO electrodes were systematically evaluated. Standardized multiple linear regression and correlation heatmaps quantified the relationships between TNTA morphology and performance. The TNTA interlayer enhanced coating – substrate adhesion, mitigated delamination and substrate passivation, and improved durability. Among the morphological parameters, nanotube length emerged as the primary structural determinant of the electrode performance. The optimized Ti/30 V-2 h TNTAs/SnO2-Sb-Ni(30–2/NATO) electrode exhibited a 6.62 h accelerated lifetime (3.74-fold higher than without interlayer), increased dissolved ozone concentration to 4.73 mg L−1 (+73%), and reduced specific energy consumption by 41%. Electrochemical analyses showed enlarged electrochemically active surface area, decreased charge-transfer resistance, and a positive shift in oxygen evolution potential (OEP), effectively suppressing the competing oxygen evolution reaction. This study elucidates how tailoring the TNTA interlayer morphology enhances both ozone generation performance and service life of Ti/NATO electrodes, providing theoretical guidance for the design of high-efficiency, durable electrochemical ozone anodes.