A New Concept of an Air-Electrode Catalyst for Li₂O₂ Decomposition Using MnO₂ Nanosheets on Rechargeable Li-O₂ Batteries

To improve the charge/discharge properties of a rechargeable Li-O₂ battery (LAB), we synthesized a new air-electrode catalyst composed of MnO₂ nanosheets (Mn-NSs) and Ketjen Black (KB), i.e., a KB-comp. Mn-NS catalyst. The composite catalyst was synthesized by electrostatically restacking the nanomaterials in a colloidal solution with Li⁺ and its electro-catalytic activity as an air-electrode for a LAB test cell was evaluated. The KB-comp. Mn-NS catalyst exhibited excellent performance, especially for oxidation of Li₂O₂ deposited on the surface of the air-electrode during the charging process, which led to enhanced reversibility of the Li₂O₂ deposition/decomposition reaction during the discharging/charge cycles. Evidence of these reactions was investigated and confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The Li₂O₂ was deposited and decomposed more homogeneously at the air-electrode with the KB-comp. Mn-NS catalyst than that with only KB. Consequently, the composite catalyst significantly reduced the overpotential and improved the cycleability up to the 27th cycle, even at 0.40 mA.