Single and polycrystalline CeO2 nanorods as oxygen-electrode materials for lithium–oxygen batteries

Single and polycrystalline CeO2 nanorods (NRs) were prepared for application as oxygen-electrode electrocatalysts for lithium–oxygen batteries. The CeO2 NRs were prepared via a time-controlled hydrothermal process. At a high current rate of 1000 mA g−1, the single crystalline CeO2 NRs exhibited a higher reversibility and a lower voltage gap than polycrystalline CeO2 NRs. We compared the oxygen reduction and evolution kinetics of single and polycrystalline CeO2 NRs using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.