Using advanced new microscopy techniques that can observe chemical reactions taking place in liquid environments, researchers have discovered a new reason why lithium-oxygen batteries are so powerful - they have five times more energy than the lithium-ion batteries found in electric cars and cellphones. -Tends to slow down and die after a few charge/discharge cycles. They report their findings in the journal Nano Energy. "What we're seeing for the first time is that lithium peroxide develops in the liquid electrolyte of lithium-oxygen batteries and causes the slowdown and eventual death of these batteries," said Associate Professor Reza Shahbazian-Yassar. Lead author of the paper in the School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Engineering. "This is a newly discovered reason why these promising batteries experience drastic drops in efficiency and yield after relatively few charge/discharge cycles." For years, lithium-oxygen batteries have been prized for their potentially high energy density. Favored by battery researchers. But compared to other batteries, they tend to slow down and stop working relatively quickly. One reason for loss of power is that a byproduct of the chemical reaction occurring within the battery - lithium peroxide - can build up on the battery's electrodes. The coated electrodes no longer function effectively, and the chemical reactions that produce energy eventually stop. But now, Shahbazian-Yassar and his colleagues, using a new transmission electron microscopy technique developed by UIC engineering graduate students Kun He and Yifei Yuan, have demonstrated at the nanoscale that lithium peroxide also forms in the battery's liquid electrolyte component, further slowing down the chemistry. reaction. "Understanding the accumulation of lithium peroxide in the electrolyte is a very important discovery," Shahbazian-Yassar said. "Now, we can start to come up with ideas and designs that either prevent this from happening or take steps to keep the electrolyte functioning properly, That way it doesn't affect the operation of the battery, and we can use new liquid microscopy technology to see if we're going in the right direction." Shahbazian-Yassar said that so far, lithium-oxygen batteries only exist as laboratory prototypes and are not produced in large quantities. Lithium-oxygen batteries are still a long way off for public or commercial use. "Lithium-air batteries need to overcome many problems before they can enter mainstream applications, but knowing exactly what the problems are is the first step in commercializing these extremely high-energy-density batteries.

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