Characterization of Charge Reactions of Li-O2 Battery Cathodes Studied with Field Ionization Methods

Lithium-O2 batteries have attracted a significant interest due to energy densities comparable to liquid fuels. However, poor cyclability and high charging overpotentials have limited their commercial deployment. Fundamental studies of the underlying surface chemistry of Li-O2 electrodes provide information complementary to traditional battery research. Field ionization (FI) techniques, performed in ultrahigh vacuum conditions, are well suited for examining the dependence of surface chemistry on electric field and, by analogy, to electrical potential. Field ionization techniques can be used to characterize the nature of reaction intermediates and obtaining semi-quantitative kinetic data. In this work, we propose a framework for characterization of Li-air battery chemistry using FI techniques to examine electrolyte characterization, catalyst discovery, and side reactions characterization.