N, F Co-Doped Carbon Material Self-Supporting Cathode for High-Performance Lithium-Oxygen Batteries

The Li-O₂ battery has emerged as a promising energy storage system due to its exceptionally high theoretical energy density of 3500 Wh kg^-1. However, the sluggish kinetics associated with the formation and decomposition of discharge product Li₂O₂ poses several challenges in Li-O₂ batteries, including excessive over-potential, limited rate performance, and reduced actual specific energy. Consequently, the development of cost-effective cathode catalysts with enhanced catalytic activity and long-term stability represents a viable approach to address these challenges. In this study, commercial melamine foam is utilized as a precursor material which was subjected to pyrolysis at elevated temperatures with PVDF to synthesize N, F co-doped self-supporting carbon cathode (NF-NSC). Remarkably, thanks to the synergistic effects of N, F heteroatomic in conjunction with the inherent three-dimensional reticular porous structure, NF-NSC exhibited enhanced electrochemical performance when utilized in Li-O₂ batteries. Specifically, the NF-NSC cathode demonstrated an impressive discharge specific capacity of up to 35204 mAh g^-1 alongside a low over-potential (0.86 V) and excellent cycling stability (146 cycles).