The initial stages of Li2O2 formation during oxygen reduction reaction in Li-O2 batteries: The significance of Li2O2 in charge-transfer reactions within devices

Lithium-oxygen batteries are a promising technology because they can greatly surpass the energy density of lithium-ion batteries. However, this theoretical characteristic has not yet been converted into a real device with high cyclability. Problems with air contamination, metallic lithium reactivity, and complex discharge and charge reactions are the main issues for this technology. A fast and reversible oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is crucial for good performance of secondary batteries', but the partial knowledge of its mechanisms, especially when devices are concerned, hinders further development. From this perspective, the present work uses operando Raman experiments and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to assess the first stages of the discharge processes in porous carbon electrodes, following their changes cycle by cycle at initial operation. A growth kinetic formation of the discharge product signal (Li2O2) was observed with operando Raman, indicating a first-order reaction and enabling an analysis by a microkinetic model. The solution mechanism in the evaluated system was ascribed for an equivalent circuit with three time constants. While the time constant for the anode interface reveals to remain relatively constant after the first discharge, its surface seemed to be more non-uniform. The model indicated that the reaction occurs at the Li2O2 surface, decreasing the associated resistance during the initial discharge phase. Furthermore, the growth of Li2O2 forms a hetero-phase between Li2O2/electrolyte, while creating a more compact and homogeneous on the Li2O2/cathode surface. The methodology here described thus offers a way of directly probing changes in surface chemistry evolution during cycling from a device through EIS analysis.