Heat-treated metal phthalocyanine complex as an oxygen reduction catalyst for non-aqueous electrolyte Li/air batteries

In this work we study heat-treated FeCu-phthalocyanine (FeCuPc) complexes as the catalyst for oxygen reduction in non-aqueous electrolyte Li/air cells by supporting the catalyst on a high surface area Ketjenblack EC-600JD carbon black. It is shown that the resultant FeCu/C catalyst not only accelerates the two-electron reduction of oxygen as “O2 + 2Li+ + 2e → Li2O2”, but also catalyzes the chemical disproportionation of Li2O2 as “2Li2O2 → 2Li2O + O2”. In Li/air cells, the catalyst reduces polarization on discharge while simultaneously reducing the fraction of Li2O2 in the final discharged products. In a 0.2 mol kg−1 LiSO3CF3 7:3 (wt.) propylene carbonate (PC)/tris(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) phosphate (TFP) electrolyte, the Li/air cells with FeCu/C show at least 0.2 V higher discharge voltage at 0.2 mA cm−2 than those with pristine carbon. By measuring the charge-transfer resistance (Rct) of Li/air cells at temperatures ranging between −30 °C and 30 °C, we determine the apparent activation energy of the discharge of Li/air cells and discuss the effect of FeCu/C catalyst on the oxygen reduction in Li/air cells.

► Studied the catalytic effect of heat-treated metal phthalocyanine complex (MPc) on oxygen reduction in Li/air cells.
► Heat-treated FeCuPc complex with carbon not only promotes two-electron oxygen reduction but also catalyzes non-redox Li2O2 disproportionation.
► In Li/air cells the FeCu/C catalyst reduces cell's polarization and increases open-circuit voltage recovery rate.
► The catalytic effect of FeCu/C catalyst on the Li2O2 disproportionation is not as effective as on the two-electron oxygen reduction.