One- or Two-Electron Transfer? The Ambiguous Nature of the Discharge Products in Sodium-Oxygen Batteries.

Rechargeable lithium-oxygen and sodium-oxygen cells have been considered as challenging concepts for next-generation batteries, both scientifically and technologically. Whereas in the case of non-aqueous Li/O2 batteries, the occurring cell reaction has been unequivocally determined (Li2O2 formation), the situation is much less clear in the case of non-aqueous Na/O2 cells. Two discharge products, with almost equal free enthalpies of formation but different numbers of transferred electrons and completely different kinetics, appear to compete, namely NaO2 and Na2O2. Cells forming either the superoxide or the peroxide have been reported, but it is unclear how the cell reaction can be influenced for selective one- or two-electron transfer to occur. In this Minireview, we summarize available data, discuss important control parameters, and offer perspectives for further research. Water and proton sources appear to play major roles.

[1]  A. Hintennach,et al.  In situ formation of α-MnO2 nanowires as catalyst for sodium-air batteries , 2015 .

[2]  Qian Sun,et al.  Self-stacked nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes as long-life air electrode for sodium-air batteries: Elucidating the evolution of discharge product morphology , 2015 .

[3]  Philipp Adelhelm,et al.  A rechargeable room-temperature sodium superoxide (NaO2) battery. , 2013, Nature materials.

[4]  Xueliang Sun,et al.  Superior catalytic activity of nitrogen-doped graphene cathodes for high energy capacity sodium-air batteries. , 2013, Chemical communications.

[5]  Lynden A. Archer,et al.  Sodium–oxygen batteries: a new class of metal–air batteries , 2014 .

[6]  Ning Zhao,et al.  Long-life Na-O₂ batteries with high energy efficiency enabled by electrochemically splitting NaO₂ at a low overpotential. , 2014, Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP.

[7]  Yungui Chen,et al.  The investigation of water vapor on the Li–O2 battery using a solid-state air cathode , 2015, Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry.

[8]  Philipp Adelhelm,et al.  On the Thermodynamics, the Role of the Carbon Cathode, and the Cycle Life of the Sodium Superoxide (NaO2) Battery , 2014 .

[9]  Hee-Dae Lim,et al.  Theoretical Evidence for Low Charging Overpotentials of Superoxide Discharge Products in Metal–Oxygen Batteries , 2015 .

[10]  Hubert A. Gasteiger,et al.  The Influence of Water and Protons on Li2O2 Crystal Growth in Aprotic Li-O2 Cells , 2015 .

[11]  Haoshen Zhou,et al.  High capacity Na–O2 batteries with carbon nanotube paper as binder-free air cathode , 2014 .

[12]  Z. Fu,et al.  NiCo2O4 nanosheets supported on Ni foam for rechargeable nonaqueous sodium–air batteries , 2014 .

[13]  Russel Fernandes,et al.  The critical role of phase-transfer catalysis in aprotic sodium oxygen batteries. , 2015, Nature chemistry.

[14]  Xuanxuan Bi,et al.  Understanding side reactions in K-O2 batteries for improved cycle life. , 2014, ACS applied materials & interfaces.

[15]  B. Bielski.  Fast kinetic studies of dioxygen-derived species and their metal complexes. , 1985, Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences.

[16]  Qian Sun,et al.  An enhanced electrochemical performance of a sodium-air battery with graphene nanosheets as air electrode catalysts. , 2013, Chemical communications.

[17]  Shyue Ping Ong,et al.  Nanoscale stabilization of sodium oxides: implications for Na-O2 batteries. , 2014, Nano letters.

[18]  D. Bethune,et al.  On the efficacy of electrocatalysis in nonaqueous Li-O2 batteries. , 2011, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[19]  B. McCloskey,et al.  Nonaqueous Li-air batteries: a status report. , 2014, Chemical reviews.

[20]  Hee-Dae Lim,et al.  Sodium-oxygen batteries with alkyl-carbonate and ether based electrolytes. , 2013, Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP.

[21]  Yiying Wu,et al.  A low-overpotential potassium-oxygen battery based on potassium superoxide. , 2013, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[22]  Lynden A. Archer,et al.  Carbon dioxide assist for non-aqueous sodium-oxygen batteries , 2013 .

[23]  Seongmin Ha,et al.  Sodium-metal halide and sodium-air batteries. , 2014, Chemphyschem : a European journal of chemical physics and physical chemistry.

[24]  Qian Sun,et al.  Electrochemical properties of room temperature sodium-air batteries with non-aqueous electrolyte , 2012 .

[25]  Hong Li,et al.  A long-life Na-air battery based on a soluble NaI catalyst. , 2015, Chemical communications.

[26]  Héctor D. Abruña,et al.  A rechargeable Na–CO2/O2 battery enabled by stable nanoparticle hybrid electrolytes , 2014 .

[27]  B. McCloskey,et al.  Lithium−Air Battery: Promise and Challenges , 2010 .

[28]  Diana Golodnitsky,et al.  Parameter analysis of a practical lithium- and sodium-air electric vehicle battery , 2011 .

[29]  J. Janek,et al.  Toward Better Sodium–Oxygen batteries: A Study on the Performance of Engineered Oxygen Electrodes based on Carbon Nanotubes , 2015 .

[30]  H. Yadegari,et al.  Three-Dimensional Nanostructured Air Electrode for Sodium− Oxygen Batteries: A Mechanism Study toward the Cyclability of the Cell , 2015 .

[31]  Linda F. Nazar,et al.  The effects of moisture contamination in the Li-O2 battery , 2014 .

[32]  N. Zhao,et al.  Cell Chemistry of Sodium–Oxygen Batteries with Various Nonaqueous Electrolytes , 2015 .

[33]  J. Janek,et al.  Sodiated carbon: a reversible anode for sodium–oxygen batteries and route for the chemical synthesis of sodium superoxide (NaO2) , 2015 .

[34]  Qian Sun,et al.  Toward a Sodium–“Air” Battery: Revealing the Critical Role of Humidity , 2015 .

[35]  Philipp Adelhelm,et al.  Discharge and Charge Reaction Paths in Sodium–Oxygen Batteries: Does NaO2 Form by Direct Electrochemical Growth or by Precipitation from Solution? , 2015 .

[36]  Zonghai Chen,et al.  Nanoconfinement of low-conductivity products in rechargeable sodium–air batteries , 2015 .

[37]  Xuanxuan Bi,et al.  Investigating dendrites and side reactions in sodium-oxygen batteries for improved cycle lives. , 2015, Chemical communications.

[38]  Xiaoyu Cui,et al.  On rechargeability and reaction kinetics of sodium–air batteries , 2014 .

[39]  Philipp Adelhelm,et al.  From lithium to sodium: cell chemistry of room temperature sodium–air and sodium–sulfur batteries , 2015, Beilstein journal of nanotechnology.

[40]  Yang Shao-Horn,et al.  Rate-Dependent Nucleation and Growth of NaO2 in Na-O2 Batteries. , 2015, The journal of physical chemistry letters.

[41]  Hubert A. Gasteiger,et al.  A Novel On-Line Mass Spectrometer Design for the Study of Multiple Charging Cycles of a Li-O2 Battery , 2013 .

[42]  Philipp Adelhelm,et al.  A comprehensive study on the cell chemistry of the sodium superoxide (NaO2) battery. , 2013, Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP.

[43]  Jeannette M Garcia,et al.  Chemical and Electrochemical Differences in Nonaqueous Li-O2 and Na-O2 Batteries. , 2014, The journal of physical chemistry letters.

[44]  K. Kang,et al.  First-Principles Study of the Reaction Mechanism in Sodium–Oxygen Batteries , 2014 .

[45]  Jun Chen,et al.  Porous perovskite calcium–manganese oxide microspheres as an efficient catalyst for rechargeable sodium–oxygen batteries , 2015 .

[46]  Z. Wen,et al.  Graphene nanosheets loaded with Pt nanoparticles with enhanced electrochemical performance for sodium–oxygen batteries , 2015 .

[47]  J. Janek,et al.  Pressure Dynamics in Metal–Oxygen (Metal–Air) Batteries: A Case Study on Sodium Superoxide Cells , 2014 .