Influence of the KOH activation of carbon nanotubes on their electrochemical behavior in lithium-air batteries

WANG Hai-fan; WEI Wei; QIN Lei; LEI Yu; YU Wei; LIU Ru-liang; LU Wei; ZHAI Deng-yun; YANG Quan-hong

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Article Navigation > New Carbon Mater. > 2016 > 31(3): 307-314

WANG Hai-fan, WEI Wei, QIN Lei, LEI Yu, YU Wei, LIU Ru-liang, LU Wei, ZHAI Deng-yun, YANG Quan-hong. Influence of the KOH activation of carbon nanotubes on their electrochemical behavior in lithium-air batteries. New Carbon Mater., 2016, 31(3): 307-314.

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Influence of the KOH activation of carbon nanotubes on their electrochemical behavior in lithium-air batteries

1.
Engineering Laboratory for Next Generation Power and Energy Storage Batteries, Engineering Laboratory for Functionalized Carbon Materials, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China;
2.
Laboratory of Advanced Materials, School of Materials, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China;
3.
Division of Fuel Cell & Battery, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China

Funds: National Basic Research Program of China (2014CB932400);National Natural Science Foundation of China (U1401243, 21506212);Shenzhen Basic Research Project (ZDSYS20140509172959981, JCYJ20150529164918734).

Received Date: 2016-05-05
Accepted Date: 2016-06-28
Rev Recd Date: 2016-06-01
Publish Date: 2016-06-28

Abstract

Abstract

The Li-air battery has attracted considerable attention owing to its high energy density, which is approximately 10 times larger than that of a conventional Li-ion battery. Carbon is frequently used as the cathode material because of its stable structure and excellent conductivity. The surface properties and microstructure of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were modified by KOH activation and its effects on the electrochemical behaviorof CNTs as a cathode material for Li-air batterieswere investigated. Results indicate that the graphitic layer of the CNT outer surface is etched and more edge carbon atoms are exposed after the modification, which generates a CNT-graphene hybrid nanostructure. This hybrid structure provides a large number of active sites that are beneficial for the generation/decomposition of discharge products, leading to a decrease of the charging overpotential and an improvement in cycling stability.
- Lithium-air batteries,
- Carbon nanotube,
- Lithium peroxide,
- All-carbon electrodes

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References(31)

References

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