Abstract
Lithium-oxygen batteries with ultrahigh energy density have received considerable attention as of the future energy storage technologies. The development of effective electrocatalysts and a corresponding working mechanism during cycling are critically important for lithium-oxygen batteries. Here, a single cobalt atom electrocatalyst is synthesized for lithium-oxygen batteries by a polymer encapsulation strategy. The isolated moieties of single atom catalysts can effectively regulate the distribution of active sites to form micrometre-sized flower-like lithium peroxide and promote the decomposition of lithium peroxide by a one-electron pathway. The battery with single cobalt atoms can operate with high round-trip efficiency (86.2%) and long-term stability (218 days), which is superior to a commercial 5 wt% platinum/carbon catalyst. We reveal that the synergy between a single atom and the support endows the catalyst with excellent stability and durability. The promising results provide insights into the design of highly efficient catalysts for lithium-oxygen batteries and greatly expand the scope of future investigation.
Highlights
Lithium-oxygen batteries with ultrahigh energy density have received considerable attention as of the future energy storage technologies
To the best of our knowledge, for the first time, we propose a strategy of using a single-atom material as a cathode catalyst for Li–O2 batteries and develop a strategy inspired by the growth process of strawberries by combining polymer encapsulation with template replication to fabricate a hollow N-doped carbon sphere with isolated single Co sites
The cobalt complexes are mixed with dopamine monomers, which polymerize on the silica spheres to form SiO2@PDA@Co(acac)[2] nanospheres (Supplementary Fig. 1b)
Summary
Lithium-oxygen batteries with ultrahigh energy density have received considerable attention as of the future energy storage technologies. The near-edge absorption energy of the N-HP-Co SACs is suited between that of the Co foil and CoO, suggesting that the isolated Co atoms bear a positive charge between the metal cobalt with zerovalent Co (0) and CoO with bivalent Co (II); the above result indicates the Ncoordinated chemical state of the single Co atoms.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
