Effect of Componential Proportion in Bimetallic Electrocatalysts on the Aprotic Lithium-Oxygen Battery Performance

Rechargeable lithium-oxygen (Li-O₂) batteries are one of the most promising technologies for next-generation energy storage, which is also a critical part of the future renewable energy portfolio; however, its commercialization is still hindered by several challenges. The high charge overpotential, in particular, not only causes problems by increasing the possibility of electrolyte decomposition but also induces a low round-trip efficiency and coulombic efficiency. Here, by choosing the right component proportion in Pt-Cu bimetallic electrocatalysts that optimize electrocatalytic activity of electrochemical reactions, especially of oxygen evolution reactions, a superior electrochemical behavior is demonstrated, with a low charge overpotential of 0.2 V and cycleability of 50 discharge/charge cycles before capacity fading. The optimized Pt-Cu bimetallic electrocatalysts significantly reduce the charge overpotential and furthermore enhance the efficiency, stability, and cycleability of an aprotic Li-O₂ battery.