Understanding reaction pathways in alkali metal-air batteries for high energy storage

需要在能源密度方面取得重大突破，以满足社会长期的能源储存需求。金属氧电池的理论能量密度是最先进的锂离子电池技术的10倍。这项建议的目的是通过充分了解碱金属-氧电池中发生的还原和氧化途径，使这项技术得以应用。原位电化学拉曼是一种表面敏感技术，能够在分子水平上跟踪各种含Li+的非水溶剂和离子液体中的还原和氧化途径。这项工作的不同之处在于，将用拉曼光谱研究氧还原反应和析氧反应，不仅在金上，而且在过渡金属氧化物催化剂上，如二氧化锰(MnO2)，贵金属催化剂，如铂，以及实际电极材料，如碳。这项工作将进一步表征在其他碱金属阳离子(Na+和K+)存在下的氧还原和放氧特性，这些阳离子也提供了比锂离子更大的能量密度。这些元素比锂丰富得多，因此将为甚至更长期的能源储存提供更可持续的解决方案。

A major breakthrough in energy density is required to satisfy the energy storage needs of society in the long-term. Metal-oxygen batteries have theoretical energy densities up to 10 times that of the state-of-the-art Li-ion battery technology. The goal of this proposal is to enable the uptake of this technology by fully understanding the reduction and oxidation pathways taking place in alkali metal-oxygen batteries.In situ electrochemical Raman is a surface sensitive technique which is able to follow at the molecular level these pathways in various Li+ containing non-aqueous solvents and also ionic liquids. What sets this work apart is that oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction will be investigated with Raman on multiple substrates, not just on Au, but also transition metal oxide catalysts, such as manganese dioxide (MnO2), noble metal catalysts, such as Pt and on practical electrode materials, such as carbon. The work will go further in the characterisation of oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution in the presence of other alkali metal cations (Na+ and K+) that also offer great gains in energy density as metal-O2 cells over Li-ion. These elements are much more abundant than lithium and therefore would offer a more sustainable energy storage solution for even beyond the long-term.