Engineering Nanocarbon Air Cathodes for High-Temperature Solid-State Li-O2 Batteries

Gang Wu Lab

pyramid with battery left side, car on right side, both traveling upward toward top to demonstrate increasing density.

Significantly increased energy density of Li-air batteries. (Reprinted from Energy Technology 2014, 2, 317-324)

Overview

We design and prepare efficient porous air cathodes for solid-state Li-O₂ electrochemical reactions, by integrating inorganic Li⁺ superionic solid electrolytes with high-performance bifunctional cathode catalysts. The proposed air cathodes with high O₂ electrocatalytic activity and stability will enable efficient rechargeable solid-state Li-O₂ electrochemical systems. The specific requirements for chemistry and structural needs of the air cathode for the solid-state Li⁺-O₂system will be elucidated, with primary emphasis on the understanding of solid-state O₂ electrocatalysis. This project is supported by National Science Foundation (NSF) - CBET-Process & Reaction Engineering Program (CBET- 1604392) (Co-PI: Prof. Edward Furlani)

Resulting Publications

Wei, M.; Zhang, F.; Wang, W.; Alexandridis, P.; Zhou, C.; Wu, G., 3D Direct Writing Fabrication of Electrodes for Electrochemical Storage Devices. Journal of Power Sources 2017, 354, 134–147.
Zhang, Z.; Peng, Z.; Zheng, J.; Wang, S.; Liu, Z.; Bi, Y.; Chen, Y.; Wu, G.; Li, H.; Cui, P., Long life-span of Li-metal anode enabled by a protective layer based on the pyrolyzed N-doped binder network. J. Mater. Chem. A 2017, 5, 9339-9349.
Ogoke, O.; Wu, G.; Wang, X.; Casimir, A.; Ma, L.; Wu, T.; Lu, J., Effective Strategies for Stabilizing Sulfur for Advanced Lithium-Sulfur Batteries. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 5, 448-469, 2017.
Paranjape, N.; Chandra, P.; Wu, G.; Lin, H., Highly-Branched Cross-Linked Poly (Ethylene Oxide) with Enhanced Ionic Conductivity. Polymer, 111, 1-8, 2017
Ma, F.; Li, Q.; Wang, T.; Zhang, H.; Wu, G., Energy storage materials derived from Prussian blue analogues. Science Bulletin, doi: 10.1016/j.scib.2017.01.030, 2017.
Liu, R.; Liu, Y.; Chen, J.; Kang, Q.; Wang, L.; Zhou, W.; Huang, Z.; Lin, X.; Li, Y.; Li, P.; Feng, X.; Wu, G.; Ma, Y.; Huang, W*., Flexible Wire-Shaped Lithium-Sulfur Batteries with Fibrous Cathodes Assembled via Capillary Action. Nano Energy, 33, 325–333, 2017.
Wan, H.; Mao, Y.; Liu, Z.; Bai, Q.; Peng, Z.; Bao, J.; Wu, G.; Liu, Y.; Wang, D.; Xie, J., Influence of Enhanced O₂ Provision Achieved with Fluoroether Incorporation on the Discharge Performance of Li-air Battery. ChemSusChem, 10 (7), 1385–1389,2017.
Sheng, H.; Wei, M.; D'Aloia, A.; Wu, G*. Heteroatom Polymer-Derived 3D High-Surface-Area and Mesoporous Graphene Sheet-Like Carbon for Supercapacitors. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 8 (44), 30212–30224, 2016.
Lü, X.; Howard, J. W.; Chen, A.; Zhu, J.; Li, S.; Wu, G.; Dowden, P.; Xu, H.; Zhao, Y*.; Jia, Q*. Antiperovskite Li₃OCl Superionic Conductor Films for Solid-State Li-Ion Batteries. Advanced Science 2016, DOI: 10.1002/advs.201500359, 2016.