Article Title

Nanocomposites of CoO and a mesoporous carbon (CMK-3) as a high performance cathode catalyst for lithium-oxygen batteries

Authors

Bing Sun, Centre for Clean Energy Technology, School of Chemistry and Forensic Science, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
Hao Liu, Centre for Clean Energy Technology, School of Chemistry and Forensic Science, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
Paul Munroe, Electron Microscope Unit, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Hyojun Ahn, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, 900 Gazwa-dong, Jinju, Gyeongnam 660-701, Republic of Korea
Guoxiu Wang, Centre for Clean Energy Technology, School of Chemistry and Forensic Science, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia

Keywords

Mesoporous carbon, CMK-3, CoO, catalyst, Lithium–oxygen battery

Abstract

ABSTRACT A nanocomposite of CoO and a mesoporous carbon (CMK-3) has been studied as a cathode catalyst for lithium–oxygen batteries in alkyl carbonate electrolytes. The morphology and structure of the as-prepared nanocomposite were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The electrochemical properties of the mesoporous CoO/CMK-3 nanocomposite as a cathode catalyst in lithium–oxygen batteries were studied using galvanostatic charge–discharge methods. The reaction products on the cathode were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The CoO/CMK-3 nanocomposite exhibited better capacity retention than bare mesoporous CMK-3 carbon, Super-P carbon or CoO/Super-P nanocomposite. The synergistic effects arising from the combination of CoO nanoparticles and the mesoporous carbon nanoarchitecture may be responsible for the optimum catalytic performance in lithium–oxygen batteries.

Graphical Abstract

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-012-0231-4

Publisher

Tsinghua University Press

Recommended Citation

Bing Sun,Hao Liu,Paul Munroe,Hyojun Ahn,Guoxiu Wang, Nanocomposites of CoO and a mesoporous carbon (CMK-3) as a high performance cathode catalyst for lithium-oxygen batteries. NanoRes.2012, 5(7): 460–469