Electrochemical oxidation of solid Li2O2 in non-aqueous electrolyte using peroxide complexing additives for lithium–air batteries

Abstract Using the anion receptor tris(penftafluorophenyl) borane as an additive to non-aqueous electrolytes, the solubility of solid Li 2 O 2 can be dramatically increased through the Lewis acid–base interaction between boron and peroxide. The complexed boron-peroxide ions can be electrochemically oxidized with much better kinetics than the oxidation of solid Li 2 O 2 on a carbon powder microelectrode. This discovery could lead to a new avenue for the development of high capacity, high rate, rechargeable, Li–Air batteries.