Making Li-Air Batteries Rechargeable: Material Challenges

A Li‐air battery could potentially provide three to five times higher energy density/specific energy than conventional batteries and, thus, enable the driving range of an electric vehicle to be comparable to gasoline vehicles. However, making Li‐air batteries rechargeable presents significant challe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Advanced functional materials 2013-02, Vol.23 (8), p.987-1004
Main Authors: Shao, Yuyan, Ding, Fei, Xiao, Jie, Zhang, Jian, Xu, Wu, Park, Sehkyu, Zhang, Ji-Guang, Wang, Yong, Liu, Jun
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anodes
Cathodes
Electric vehicles
Electrocatalysts
Electrolytes
Energy storage
Li-air batteries
Lithium batteries
lithium peroxide
Membranes
oxygen-rich conditions
rechargeable batteries
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Summary:A Li‐air battery could potentially provide three to five times higher energy density/specific energy than conventional batteries and, thus, enable the driving range of an electric vehicle to be comparable to gasoline vehicles. However, making Li‐air batteries rechargeable presents significant challenges, mostly related to the materials. Here, the key factors that influence the rechargeability of Li‐air batteries are discussed with a focus on nonaqueous systems. The status and materials challenges for nonaqueous rechargeable Li‐air batteries are reviewed. These include electrolytes, cathode (electrocatalysts), lithium metal anodes, and oxygen‐selective membranes (oxygen supply from air). A perspective for the future of rechargeable Li‐air batteries is provided. Rechargeable lithium‐air batteries could potentially provide an energy storage capacity of three to five times that of current Li‐ion batteries. However, significant material challenges exist for each of its components, among which are electrolytes, cathodes/catalysts, anodes, and oxygen‐selective membranes for oxygen supply.
ISSN:1616-301X
1616-3028
DOI:10.1002/adfm.201200688