Lithium air batteries having ether-based electrolytes
A lithium-air battery includes a cathode including a porous active carbon material, a separator, an anode including lithium, and an electrolyte including a lithium salt and polyalkylene glycol ether, where the porous active carbon material is free of a metal-based catalyst.
1. A lithium-air battery comprising a cathode comprising a porous active carbon material, a separator, an anode comprising lithium, and an electrolyte comprising a lithium salt and polyalkylene glycol ether, wherein the porous active carbon material is free of a metal-based catalyst.
2. The lithium-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the porous active carbon material is free of any metal species except for lithium species.
3. The lithium-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the polyalkylene glycol ether is a compound represented by Formula I:
R 1 O{[(CR 2 R 3 ) x O] z }R 4 (I)
wherein:
R 1 is alkyl, aryl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl, siloxyl or silyl;
each occurrence of R 2 and R 3 is independently H, halo, alkyl, aryl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl, silyl, or siloxyl;
R 4 is alkyl, aryl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl, siloxyl or silyl;
x is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6; and
z is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8.
4. The lithium-air battery of claim 3 , wherein R 1 is alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl, or silyl.
5. The lithium-air battery of claim 3 , wherein x is 1, 2, or 3, and z is 2, 3, or 4.
6. The lithium-air battery of claim 3 , wherein R 1 is C 1 -C 8 alkyl, a 5- or 6-membered cycloalkyl, a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclyl, or a trialkylsilyl; each occurrence of R 2 and R 3 are individually H, F, Cl, or C 1 -C 6 alkyl; R 4 is C 1 -C 8 alkyl, a 5- or 6-membered cycloalkyl, a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclyl, or a trialkylsilyl; x is 2, or 3; and z is 2, 3, or 4.
7. The lithium-air battery of claim 3 , wherein R 1 is methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, tert-butyl, trimethylsilyl, or triethylsilyl; each occurrence of R 2 and R 3 is H, F, Cl, methyl, or ethyl; R 4 is methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, tert-butyl, a cyclic carbonate, trimethylsilyl, or triethylsilyl; x is 2, or 3; and z is 2, 3, or 4.
8. The lithium-air battery of claim 3 , wherein the compound represented by Formula I is tetraethyleneglycoldimethylether, 2-[2-[2-[2-methoxy]ethoxy]ethoxy]ethoxy trimethyl silane (1NM3), or a mixture thereof.
9. The lithium-air battery of claim 3 , wherein the lithium salt comprises LiCF 3 SO 3 , Li[B(C 2 O 4 ) 2 ], Li[B(C 2 O 4 )F 2 ], or Li[PF 4 (C 2 O 4 )].
10. The lithium-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the porous active carbon material is free of a metal-based catalyst comprising Pt, Pd, Fe, Ti, Zr, Zn, Ag, Au, Ni, Co, Mn, Ce or La.
11. The lithium-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the porous active carbon material comprises microporous carbon, mesoporous carbon, mesoporous microbeads, graphite, expandable graphite, carbon black, or carbon nanotubes.
12. The lithium-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode further comprises a binder.
13. The lithium-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode further comprises a gas diffusion layer.
14. The lithium-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises a paper or polymer separator.
15. The lithium-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises a lithium metal foil.