---
_id: '7305'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: When lithium–oxygen batteries discharge, O2 is reduced at the cathode to form
    solid Li2O2. Understanding the fundamental mechanism of O2 reduction in aprotic
    solvents is therefore essential to realizing their technological potential. Two
    different models have been proposed for Li2O2 formation, involving either solution
    or electrode surface routes. Here, we describe a single unified mechanism, which,
    unlike previous models, can explain O2 reduction across the whole range of solvents
    and for which the two previous models are limiting cases. We observe that the
    solvent influences O2 reduction through its effect on the solubility of LiO2,
    or, more precisely, the free energy of the reaction LiO2* ⇌ Li(sol)+ + O2−(sol) + ion
    pairs + higher aggregates (clusters). The unified mechanism shows that low-donor-number
    solvents are likely to lead to premature cell death, and that the future direction
    of research for lithium–oxygen batteries should focus on the search for new, stable,
    high-donor-number electrolytes, because they can support higher capacities and
    can better sustain discharge.
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Lee
  full_name: Johnson, Lee
  last_name: Johnson
- first_name: Chunmei
  full_name: Li, Chunmei
  last_name: Li
- first_name: Zheng
  full_name: Liu, Zheng
  last_name: Liu
- first_name: Yuhui
  full_name: Chen, Yuhui
  last_name: Chen
- first_name: Stefan Alexander
  full_name: Freunberger, Stefan Alexander
  id: A8CA28E6-CE23-11E9-AD2D-EC27E6697425
  last_name: Freunberger
  orcid: 0000-0003-2902-5319
- first_name: Praveen C.
  full_name: Ashok, Praveen C.
  last_name: Ashok
- first_name: Bavishna B.
  full_name: Praveen, Bavishna B.
  last_name: Praveen
- first_name: Kishan
  full_name: Dholakia, Kishan
  last_name: Dholakia
- first_name: Jean-Marie
  full_name: Tarascon, Jean-Marie
  last_name: Tarascon
- first_name: Peter G.
  full_name: Bruce, Peter G.
  last_name: Bruce
citation:
  ama: Johnson L, Li C, Liu Z, et al. The role of LiO2 solubility in O2 reduction
    in aprotic solvents and its consequences for Li–O2 batteries. <i>Nature Chemistry</i>.
    2014;6(12):1091-1099. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2101">10.1038/nchem.2101</a>
  apa: Johnson, L., Li, C., Liu, Z., Chen, Y., Freunberger, S. A., Ashok, P. C., …
    Bruce, P. G. (2014). The role of LiO2 solubility in O2 reduction in aprotic solvents
    and its consequences for Li–O2 batteries. <i>Nature Chemistry</i>. Springer Nature.
    <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2101">https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2101</a>
  chicago: Johnson, Lee, Chunmei Li, Zheng Liu, Yuhui Chen, Stefan Alexander Freunberger,
    Praveen C. Ashok, Bavishna B. Praveen, Kishan Dholakia, Jean-Marie Tarascon, and
    Peter G. Bruce. “The Role of LiO2 Solubility in O2 Reduction in Aprotic Solvents
    and Its Consequences for Li–O2 Batteries.” <i>Nature Chemistry</i>. Springer Nature,
    2014. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2101">https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2101</a>.
  ieee: L. Johnson <i>et al.</i>, “The role of LiO2 solubility in O2 reduction in
    aprotic solvents and its consequences for Li–O2 batteries,” <i>Nature Chemistry</i>,
    vol. 6, no. 12. Springer Nature, pp. 1091–1099, 2014.
  ista: Johnson L, Li C, Liu Z, Chen Y, Freunberger SA, Ashok PC, Praveen BB, Dholakia
    K, Tarascon J-M, Bruce PG. 2014. The role of LiO2 solubility in O2 reduction in
    aprotic solvents and its consequences for Li–O2 batteries. Nature Chemistry. 6(12),
    1091–1099.
  mla: Johnson, Lee, et al. “The Role of LiO2 Solubility in O2 Reduction in Aprotic
    Solvents and Its Consequences for Li–O2 Batteries.” <i>Nature Chemistry</i>, vol.
    6, no. 12, Springer Nature, 2014, pp. 1091–99, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2101">10.1038/nchem.2101</a>.
  short: L. Johnson, C. Li, Z. Liu, Y. Chen, S.A. Freunberger, P.C. Ashok, B.B. Praveen,
    K. Dholakia, J.-M. Tarascon, P.G. Bruce, Nature Chemistry 6 (2014) 1091–1099.
date_created: 2020-01-15T12:18:18Z
date_published: 2014-11-10T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2021-01-12T08:12:55Z
day: '10'
doi: 10.1038/nchem.2101
extern: '1'
intvolume: '         6'
issue: '12'
language:
- iso: eng
month: '11'
oa_version: None
page: 1091-1099
publication: Nature Chemistry
publication_identifier:
  issn:
  - 1755-4330
  - 1755-4349
publication_status: published
publisher: Springer Nature
quality_controlled: '1'
related_material:
  link:
  - relation: erratum
    url: https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2138
status: public
title: The role of LiO2 solubility in O2 reduction in aprotic solvents and its consequences
  for Li–O2 batteries
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 6
year: '2014'
...