Recent advances in electrocatalysts for non-aqueous Li-O2 batteries

As one of the next-generation energy-storage devices, Li-O-2 battery has become the main research direction for the academic researchers due to its characteristics of environmental friendship, relatively simple structures, high energy density of 3500 Whikg and low cost. However, Li-O-2 battery cannot be commercialized on a large scale because of the challenging issues including high-efficient electrocatalysts, membranes, Li-based anode and so on. In this review, we focused on the recent development of electrocatalyst materials as cathodes for the non-aqueous Li-O-2 batteries which are relatively simpler than other Li-O-2 batteries' structures. Electrocatalysts were summarized including noble metals, nano carbon materials, transition metals and their hybrids. We points out that the challenges of preparation high-efficient catalysts not only require high catalytic activity and conductivity, but also have novel nanoarchitectures with large interface and porous volume for LiOx storage. Furthermore, the further investigation of reaction mechanism and advanced in situ analysis technologies are welcome in the coming work. (C) 2016 Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.