Bifunctional Electrocatalysts Materials for Non-Aqueous Li–Air Batteries

Abstract

Rechargeable lithium–air batteries (LABs), particularly the nonaqueous form, are demonstrated as the next-generation energy conversion and storage equipment for many applications. The air cathode has been certified as one of the critical aspects to affect the full performance of the LABs. At present, the main challenge for the commercial application of air cathode is to exploit some new cathode catalysts with lower prices, higher efficiency, and better stability. In the last decade, tremendous efforts have been dedicated to developing new structure design and fabrication processes of the cathode materials to promote the full capability of the LABs. The recent research progress of bifunctional cathode catalysts for LABs, including the main improvement strategies and performance of cathode materials, is introduced in this paper. Besides, related technical challenges are analyzed, and possible resolving strategies for the challenges to develop the nonaqueous Li–air battery catalytic cathodes are elaborated on in this review.