A Ga-Sn Liquid Metal Mediated Structural Cathode for Li-O2 Batteries

Luo, Zhihong, Ji, Chenhao, Yin, Liankun, Zhu, Guangbin, Xu, Bin, Wang, Yucheng, Liu, Xiaoteng, Zhuge, Xiangqun and Luo, Kun (2020) A Ga-Sn Liquid Metal Mediated Structural Cathode for Li-O2 Batteries. Materials Today Energy, 18. p. 100559. ISSN 2468-6069

Preview

Text Materials_Today_Energy_Final_copy.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives 4.0. Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

One of the recent challenges in Li–O2 battery technology is the cycle life, which can be severely shortened by cathode passivation induced by discharge product accumulation; this can be eliminated by reducing the amount of discharge products. Herein, we report a feasibility study on the development of a Ga–Sn liquid metal (LM)-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) cathode. In a comparison of MWNT, LM, m-LM/MWNT (pre-mixed LM and MWNTs), and LM/MWNT (LM-modified MWNTs) cathodes, morphology analysis showed that small Li2O2 flakes rather than large crystals grow on the conductive Ga–Sn LM and MWNTs of the LM/MWNT cathode only. The decomposition of the flaky Li2O2 on the LM/MWNT cathode occurred at lower charge overpotentials, resulting in low polarization; thus, the cathode passivation and the consumption of the Li anode were both alleviated during the cyclic process. The LM/MWNT cathode significantly improved the cycle life, rate performance, and ultimate capacity of Li–O2 batteries.

Actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads