Influence of Li ions on the oxygen reduction reaction of platinum electrocatalyst

A Li-air battery can provide a much higher theoretical energy density than a Li-ion battery. The use of aqueous acidic electrolytes may prevent lithium oxide deposition from aprotic electrolytes and lithium carbonate precipitation from alkaline electrolytes. The present communication reports a study on the effect of Li ions on the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in sulfuric acid electrolytes. It was found that the Li ions have negligible interactions with the active surface of Pt catalysts. However, significantly lower ORR activities were found when Li ions are present in the sulfuric acid. The intrinsic kinetic activities were found to decrease with the increase of Li ion concentrations, but level off when the Li ion concentrations are larger than 1.0 M. The low activities of Pt catalysts in Li ion containing electrolytes were attributed to a constraining effect of Li ions on the diffusion of oxygen in the electrolyte solution.

► First results of Li ion effect on oxygen reduction reaction on Pt catalysts.
► Lower activity due to suppression of oxygen diffusion affected by Li ions.
► Intrinsic kinetic activities level off with Li ion concentrations larger than 1 M.