True Reaction Sites on Discharge in Li–O2 Batteries

In the pursuit of an advanced Li-O2 battery, the true reaction sites in the cathode determined its cell performance and the catalyst design. When the first layer of insulating Li2O2 solid is deposited on the electrode substrate during discharging, the following O2 reduction to Li2O2 could take place either at the electrode|Li2O2 interface or at the Li2O2|electrolyte interface. The mechanism decides the strategies of catalyst design; however, it is still mysterious. Here, we used rotate ring-disk electrode to deposit a dense Li2O2 film and labeled the Li2O2 product with 16O/18O isotope. By identification of the distribution of the Li216O2 and Li218O2 in the Li2O2 film using new characteristic signals of Li216O2 and Li218O2, our results show that O2 is reduced to Li2O2 at both interfaces. A sandwich structure of Li218O2|Li216O2|Li218O2 was identified at the electrode surface when the electrode was discharged under 16O2 and then 18O2. The electrode|Li2O2 interface is the major reaction site, and it contributes to 75% of the overall reaction. This new mechanism raises new challenges and new strategies for the catalyst design of Li-O2 batteries.