Interfacial Colocalized Nucleation of Li₂O₂ Regulated by Additive-Derived Oxides in Lithium-Oxygen Batteries

Lithium-oxygen batteries are limited by the morphology of Li₂O₂ and its decomposition kinetics. Recently, in situ generation of oxides via electrolyte additives has been considered an effective strategy to regulate Li₂O₂ growth, while the relationship between such oxides and the electrode interface remains unclear. Here, La(NO₃)₃ is used as an electrolyte additive to generate electrochemically stable La₂O₃ in situ during discharge. On CNT, La₂O₃ and Li₂O₂ nucleate in a dispersed manner on the surface and grow independently, allowing Li₂O₂ to continuously grow into microsized particles. After introducing a small amount of nanosized Co₃O₄; however, the two species tend to undergo colocalized nucleation on the Co₃O₄ surface. Meanwhile, La₂O₃ imposes a confinement effect on Li₂O₂ growth, enabling nanosized Li₂O₂ to decompose at lower voltages and suppressing carbonate byproduct accumulation. As a result, the electrode exhibits lower polarization (reduced by 0.29 V) and more than twice the cycle life.