Oxygen Vacancy-Mediated Growth of Amorphous Discharge Products toward an Ultrawide Band Light-Assisted Li-O 2 Batteries

• Published in: Advanced materials (Weinheim) 2022-03, Vol.34 (10), p.e2107826
• Main Authors: Li, Fei, Li, Ma-Lin, Wang, Huan-Feng, Wang, Xiao-Xue, Zheng, Li-Jun, Guan, De-Hui, Chang, Li-Min, Xu, Ji-Jing, Wang, Yu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0935-9648; 1521-4095
• DOI: 10.1002/adma.202107826

Photoassisted electrochemical reaction is regarded as an effective approach to reduce the overpotential of lithium-oxygen (Li-O ) batteries. However, the achievement of both broadband absorption and long term battery cycling stability are still a formidable challenge. Herein, an oxygen vacancy-mediated fast kinetics for a photoassisted Li-O system is developed with a silver/bismuth molybdate (Ag/Bi MoO ) hybrid cathode. The cathode can offer both double advantages for light absorption covering UV to visible region and excellent electrochemical activity for O . Upon discharging, the photoexcited electrons from Ag nanoplate based on the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) are injected into the oxygen vacancy in Bi MoO . The fast oxygen reaction kinetics generate the amorphous Li O , and the discharge plateau is improved to 3.05 V. Upon charging, the photoexcited holes are capable to decompose amorphous Li O promptly, yielding a very low charge plateau of 3.25 V. A first cycle round-trip efficiency is 93.8% and retention of 70% over 500 h, which is the longest cycle life ever reported in photoassisted Li-O batteries. This work offers a general and reliable strategy for boosting the electrochemical kinetics by tailoring the crystalline of Li O with wide-band light.