High surface area, mesoporous carbon for low-polarization, catalyst-free lithium oxygen battery

Here we report a low polarization, catalyst-free lithium–oxygen battery using mesoporous carbon electrode. BET analysis, SEM and TEM images evidence that the carbon material has surface area as high as 1500 m2 g-1 and a uniform distribution of nanometric pores. Furthermore, X-ray diffraction analysis and TEM images of the reaction products show that the favourable effect of the mesoporous carbon is due to the formation of amorphous nanoparticles of lithiumperoxide during the electrochemical process. The results of this study clearly indicate the important role of the carbon matrix in determining a favourable morphology of the lithium–oxygen reaction product that leads to enhanced cell behaviour.