Dendrite-Free Potassium–Oxygen Battery Based on a Liquid Alloy Anode

• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b08962
• Publication Date: 2017-08-29T09:10:15Z
• Authors: Wei Yu; Kah Chun Lau; Yu Lei; Ruliang Liu; Lei Qin; Wei Yang; Baohua Li; Larry A. Curtiss; Dengyun Zhai; Feiyu Kang
• Keywords: Dendrite (mathematics)

The safety issue caused by the dendrite growth is not only a key research problem in lithium-ion batteries but also critical concern alkali metal (i.e., Li, Na, and K)–oxygen where solid usually used as anode. Herein, we demonstrate first dendrite-free K–O2 battery at ambient temperature based on liquid Na–K alloy unique liquid–liquid connection between electrolyte our anode-based provides homogeneous robust anode–electrolyte interface. Meanwhile, manage to show that compatible Na–O2 batteries, which mainly attributed stronger reducibility of potassium relatively more favorable thermodynamic formation KO2 over NaO2 during discharge process. It observed anode shows long cycle life (over 620 h) low discharge–charge overpotential (about 0.05 V initial cycles). Moreover, mechanism investigation into cell degradation O2 crossover effect ether–electrolyte instability are problems for batteries. In word, this study new route solve metal–oxygen