Synergistic Control of Structural Disorder and Surface Bonding Nature to Optimize the Functionality of Manganese Oxide as an Electrocatalyst and a Cathode for Li –O2 Batteries

An efficient methodology to optimize the oxygen electrocatalyst and Li –O2 battery performance of metal oxide is developed via synergistic control of structural disorder and surface bonding nature. The simultaneous amorphization and iodate anchoring are effective in improving electrocatalyst/electrode functionalities of δ‐MnO2 via stabilization of Mn3+ state, enhanced interaction with oxygen, increased surface electron density, and improved charge transfer kinetics. AbstractAn efficient way to improve the electrocatalyst and Li –O2 battery performances of metal oxide is developed by an exquisite synergistic control over structural disorder and surface bonding nature. The effects of amorphous nature and surface chemical environment on the functionalities of metal oxide are systematically investigated with well ‐crystalline and amorphous MnO2 nanocrystals with/without surface anchoring of highly oxidized iodate clusters. The amorphous MnO2 nanocrystal containing anchored iodate clusters shows much better performance as an oxygen evolution electrocatalyst and cathode catalyst for Li –O2 batteries than both iodate ‐free amorphous and well‐crystalline homologues, underscoring the remarkable advantage of simultaneous enhancement of structural disorder and surface electron density. In situ X‐ray absorption spectroscopic analysis demonstrates the promoted formation of double (MnO) bond, a critical step o f oxygen evolution reaction, upon amorphization caused by th...
Source: Small - Category: Nanotechnology Authors: Tags: Full Paper Source Type: research