Co-deposition of conductive additives and lithium peroxide during discharge to boost the performance of lithium-oxygen batteries

Abstract

Lithium-oxygen batteries (LOBs) have been regarded as a promising energy storage system for applications in electric vehicles and aviation. However, the development of high-performance LOBs has been hindered by the challenges associated with the insulating discharge products, like low energy efficiency and poor rate performance. Here, we report that the insulating lithium peroxide (Li2O2) can deposite with the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) additive during discharge process and eventually be woven into a conductive network. The constructed network enhances the conductivity of Li2O2 and accelerates the kinetics of electrode reactions. As a result, the battery containing 1.0 mg mL–1 CNTs in the electrolyte exhibits a high areal capacity of 5.7 mAh cm–2 and superior rate performance at 1.41 A g–1CNT. Furthermore, the introduction of ruthenium nanoparticles to the CNTs results in stable cycling for 550 hours. This research opens up a new avenue for addressing the issues caused by the insulating discharge products in LOBs.