Nickel-doped Cobalt Phosphide with Phosphorus-vacancy-abundant as an Efficient Catalyst for Non-aqueous and Quasi-solid-state Li-O2 Batteries

Abstract

Widely acknowledged as a key strategy to tackle Li-O2 battery challenges, designing electrocatalysts with superior performance is crucial. Elemental doping and vacancy engineering can modify the local electronic structure, enhancing adsorption and catalytic activity. Nickel-doped cobalt phosphide, rich in phosphorus vacancies, was synthesized to boost electrochemical efficiency in Li-O2 batteries. These nanocomposites exhibited exceptional performance in non-aqueous Li-O2 batteries, with low overpotential and remarkable cycling stability up to 741 cycles at 500 mA g-1. Additionally, with quasi-solid-state electrolytes, the batteries retained performance for 91 cycles. This study underscores the potential of elemental doping and vacancy engineering in transition-metal-phosphides for Li-O2 battery development.