Investigation of the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction and evolution reactions in lithium-oxygen batteries

Oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions were studied on graphite electrodes with different crystal orientations. The kinetics for the redox couple O2/O2− are very fast, therefore no catalyst seems necessary to assist the charge transfer process. Apparently, the main source of the overpotential for the O2 reduction reaction is from mass diffusion. Li2O2 becomes soluble in non-aqueous electrolytes in the presence of the tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate additive. The soluble B-O22− ions can be oxidized electro-catalytically. The edge orientation of graphite demonstrates superior catalytic activity for the oxidation over basal orientation. The findings reveal an opportunity for recharging Li-air batteries efficiently and a new strategy of developing the catalyst for oxygen evolution reaction.