Critical advances in re-engineering the cathode-electrolyte interface in alkali metal-oxygen batteries

Abstract

Due to its porous structure and special reaction characteristics, the cathode-electrolyte interface in alkali metal-oxygen batteries (AMOBs) has a substantial impact on their electrochemical performance. However, in traditional sandwich-like battery structures, the reaction position in the cathode is restricted to the finite planar cathode-electrolyte interface, leading to AMOBs with limited performance. As a result, a growing number of research studies have sought to re-engineer the cathode-electrolyte interface to enhance the performance of AMOBs. This review summarizes the latest methods published in recent years in this field and compares a variety of different techniques. Regardless of the method used, the ultimate goal is to expand the cathode-electrolyte interface to create more triple reaction activity sites for ions, oxygen and electrons. The most important performance improvement of AMOBs is reflected by the increased specific capacity. Additional challenges valuable for the further development of alkali metal-oxygen batteries are also discussed

Keywords

Alkali metal-oxygen batteries / cathode-electrolyte interface / rational design / surface engineering / electrolytes

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