title: Complete Decomposition of Li2CO3in Li-O2Batteries Using Ir/B4C as Noncarbon-Based Oxygen Electrode.
abstract: Instability of carbon-based oxygen electrodes and incomplete decomposition of Li2CO3during charge process are critical barriers for rechargeable Li-O2batteries. Here we report the complete decomposition of Li2CO3in Li-O2batteries using the ultrafine iridium-decorated boron carbide (Ir/B4C) nanocomposite as a noncarbon based oxygen electrode. The systematic investigation on charging the Li2CO3preloaded Ir/B4C electrode in an ether-based electrolyte demonstrates that the Ir/B4C electrode can decompose Li2CO3with an efficiency close to 100% at a voltage below 4.37 V. In contrast, the bare B4C without Ir electrocatalyst can only decompose 4.7% of the preloaded Li2CO3. Theoretical analysis indicates that the high efficiency decomposition of Li2CO3can be attributed to the synergistic effects of Ir and B4C. Ir has a high affinity for oxygen species, which could lower the energy barrier for electrochemical oxidation of Li2CO3. B4C exhibits much higher chemical and electrochemical stability than carbon-based electrodes and high catalytic activity for Li-O2reactions. A Li-O2battery using Ir/B4C as the oxygen electrode material shows highly enhanced cycling stability than those using the bare B4C oxygen electrode. Further development of these stable oxygen-electrodes could accelerate practical applications of Li-O2batteries.
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99354, United States.|School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Polytechnic University , Tianjin 300387, China.
authors.forename: Shidong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99354, United States.
authors.forename: Wu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99354, United States.
authors.forename: Jianming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99354, United States.
authors.forename: Langli
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99354, United States.
authors.forename: Mark H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Engelhard
authors.affiliation: Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99354, United States.
authors.forename: Mark E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Bowden
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99354, United States.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8797-3275
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99354, United States.
authors.forename: Chong-Min
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99354, United States.
authors.forename: Ji-Guang
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7343-4609
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: Li2CO3 decomposition; boron carbide; iridium catalyst; lithium−oxygen battery; noncarbon oxygen electrode