Aprotic Lithium–Air Batteries Tested in Ambient Air with a High-Performance and Low-Cost Bifunctional Perovskite Catalyst

Graphical Perovskite oxide La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3 (LSCF) is chosen as one of the most efficient catalysts for lithium–air batteries. The batteries can cycle 156 times in ambient air. The possible performance enhancement mechanism by LSCF is also illustrated and analyzed. Aprotic lithium–air batteries (LABs) with remarkably high energy density are facing some challenges, including insufficient cycle stability, high-cost for applications, and unclear understanding about the mechanism. Seeking high-performance and low-cost catalysts is one of the effective solutions to resolve these problems. Perovskite oxide La 0.6 Sr 0.4 CoO 3 (LSC) together with Fe and Mn doped materials La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3 (LSCF) and La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Mn 0.8 O 3 (LSCM) are prepared and applied as catalysts for LABs, which have been previously studied mostly in a pure oxygen atmosphere and rarely in ambient air. The results show that these catalysts are effective for LABs, and LSCF can improve the capacity and cycle number to 6027 mA h g −1 and 156 at current density of 400 mA g −1 in ambient air. The reasons for performance degradation of LABs tested in ambient air are discussed by EIS spectra and products analysis, which also clarifies the reason for improvement of the LSCF catalyst.