Tips-Bundled Pt/Co3O4 Nanowires with Directed Peripheral Growth of Li2O2 as Efficient Binder/Carbon-Free Catalytic Cathode for Lithium-Oxygen Battery

We propose a new design of a binder/carbon-free air electrode with tips-bundled Pt/Co3O4 nanowires grown directly on Ni foam substrate. In this design, the side reactions related to binder/carbon are excluded. The presence of Pt not only promotes the formation of the tips-bundled structure of Co3O4 nanowires but also directs the uniform deposition of a fluffy, thin Li2O2 layer only on the periphery of Pt/Co3O4 nanowires. This crystallization habit of Li2O2 makes it easy to decompose upon recharge with reduced side reactions. As a result, Li-O-2 batteries with this cathode show low polarization.