A Unique Hybrid Quasi-Solid-State Electrolyte for Li-O2 Batteries with Improved Cycle Life and Safety

In the context of the development of electric vehicle to solve the contemporary energy and environmental issues, the possibility of pushing future application of Li-O2 batteries as a power source for electric vehicles is particularly attractive. However, safety concerns, mainly derived from the use of flammable organic liquid electrolytes, become a major bottleneck for the strategically crucial applications of Li-O2 batteries. To overcome this issue, rechargeable solid-state Li-O2 batteries with enhanced safety is regarded as an appealing candidate. In this study, a hybrid quasi-solid-state electrolyte combing a polymer electrolyte with a ceramic electrolyte is first designed and explored for Li-O2 batteries. The proposed rechargeable solid-state Li-O2 battery delivers improved cycle life (>100 cycles) and safety. The feasibility study demonstrates that the hybrid quasi-solid-state electrolytes could be employed as a promising alternative strategy for the development of rechargeable Li-O2 batteries, hence encouraging more efforts devoted to explore other hybrid solid-state electrolytes for Li-O2 batteries upon future application.