Superior Rechargeability and Efficiency of Lithium-Oxygen Batteries: Hierarchical Air Electrode Architecture Combined with a Soluble Catalyst

Abstract

The lithium-oxygen battery has the potential to deliver extremely high energy densities; however, the practical use of Li-O-2 batteries has been restricted because of their poor cyclability and low energy efficiency. In this work, we report a novel Li-O-2 battery with high reversibility and good energy efficiency using a soluble catalyst combined with a hierarchical nanoporous air electrode. Through the porous three-dimensional network of the air electrode, not only lithium ions and oxygen but also soluble catalysts can be rapidly transported, enabling ultra-efficient electrode reactions and significantly enhanced catalytic activity. The novel Li-O-2 battery, combining an ideal air electrode and a soluble catalyst, can deliver a high reversible capacity (1000mAhg(-1)) up to 900cycles with reduced polarization (about 0.25V).