Carbon embedded alpha -MnO sub(2)raphene nanosheet composite: a bifunctional catalyst for high performance lithium oxygen batteries

Carbon is essential for the oxygen electrode in non-aqueous lithium-oxygen (Li-O sub(2)) batteries for improving the electron conductivity of the electrode. However, it also leads to some side reactions when exposed to the Li sub(2)O sub(2) product and the electrolyte, limiting the round-trip effici...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of materials chemistry. A, Materials for energy and sustainability Materials for energy and sustainability, 2014-10, Vol.2 (44), p.18736-18741
Main Authors: Cao, Yong, Zheng, Ming-sen, Cai, Senrong, Lin, Xiaodong, Yang, Cheng, Hu, Weiqiang, Dong, Quan-feng
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Byproducts
Carbon
Computational efficiency
Computing time
Electric batteries
Electric potential
Electrodes
Nanostructure
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Summary:Carbon is essential for the oxygen electrode in non-aqueous lithium-oxygen (Li-O sub(2)) batteries for improving the electron conductivity of the electrode. However, it also leads to some side reactions when exposed to the Li sub(2)O sub(2) product and the electrolyte, limiting the round-trip efficiency and coulombic efficiency of the batteries. In this paper, a carbon-embedded alpha -MnO sub(2)raphene nanosheet ( alpha -MnO sub(2)N) composite is introduced as a highly effective catalyst for Li-O sub(2) batteries. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed that the Li sub(2)CO sub(3) by-product was significantly reduced due to the isolation of carbon with the electrolyte and Li sub(2)O sub(2). Thus, the composite could deliver a reversible capacity of similar to 2413 mAh g super(-1) based on the total mass of the composite with an extremely high discharge voltage of similar to 2.92 V (only 40 mV lower than the thermodynamic potential) and a low charge voltage of similar to 3.72 V at a current density of 50 mA g super(-1). The round-trip efficiency is calculated to be similar to 78% with a coulombic efficiency of almost 100%.
ISSN:2050-7488
2050-7496
DOI:10.1039/c4ta04488f