Intermetallic-driven highly reversible electrocatalysis in Li-CO2 battery over nanoporous Ni3Al/Ni heterostructure

Li-CO2 batteries, which integrate CO2 utilization and electrochemical energy storage, offer the prospect of utilizing a greenhouse gas and providing an alternative to the well-established lithium-ion batteries. However, they still suffer from rather limited reversibility, low energy efficiency, and sluggish CO2 redox reaction kinetics. To address these key issues, a nanoporous Ni3Al intermetallic/Ni heterojunction (NP-Ni3Al/Ni) is purposely engineered here via an alloying-etching protocol, whereby the unique interactions between Al and Ni in Ni3Al endow NP-Ni3Al/Ni with optimum reactant/product adsorption and thus unique catalytic performance for the CO2 redox reaction. Furthermore, the nanoporous spongy structure benefits mass transport as well as discharge product storage and enables a rich multiphase reaction interface. In situ Raman studies and theoretical simulations reveal that both CO2 reduction and the co-decomposition of Li2CO3 and C are distinctly promoted by NP-Ni3Al/Ni, thereby greatly improving catalytic activity and stability. NP-Ni3Al/Ni offers promising application potential in Li-CO2 batteries, with its scalable fabrication, low production cost, and superior catalytic performance.

Automated summary

Li-CO2 batteries offer the potential of utilizing CO2 and serve as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries, but currently suffer from limitations in reversibility, energy efficiency, and reaction kinetics. This study presents a nanoporous Ni3Al intermetallic/Ni heterojunction that addresses these issues through optimized reactant/product adsorption and unique catalytic performance. In situ Raman studies and theoretical simulations demonstrate the substantial improvement in catalytic activity and stability achieved by NP-Ni3Al/Ni.