Rechargeable non-aqueous lithium-O2 batteries: Novel bimetallic (Ni-Cu) conductive coordination polymer cathodes

Abstract

The development of highly efficient catalysts for the reactions of oxygen reduction (ORR) and oxygen evolution (OER) is crucial for lithium-O2 (Li-O2) batteries. Herein is synthesized a π-d conjugated bimetallic coordination polymer (NiCu-BTA) by the aid of the chemical deposition method and applied as cathode catalyst for Li-O2 batteries. Due to the difference in the electronic structures of Ni and Cu, the degree-disorder and porosity of NiCu-BTA increased compared with the pure Ni-BTA and Cu-BTA, resulting in an enhanced electrocatalytic activity and battery performance. At a current density of 100 mA g−1, the Li-air battery equipped with NiCu-BTA shows a discharge specific capacity of 23,000 mAh g−1 and can be consistently cycled up to 113 times. The tunable catalytic activity in M-BTA opens a new window for the design of low-cost and multifunctional catalysts, and may find potential applications in clean and renewable energy fields.