In-situ electrochemical functionalization of carbon materials for high-performance Li–O2 batteries

The development of effective synthetic routes is important to manifest proper nature of specific materials.In-situ electrochemical functionalization possesses great advantages over conventional routes,especially facile way and leading to reaching elaborate sites of functional group.Here,we demonstrate the preparation of functionalized carbons by in-situ electrochemical reduction in an argon atmosphere for application in low-cost,environmentally benign,and high-performance oxygen-electrodes for non-aqueous Li-Obatteries.A Li-Obattery with functionalized carbon shows a high discharge capacity （100 times that of pristine carbon）,high power and cycling stability.The outstanding performance is attributed to the high Oaffinity of the functionalized carbon surface that facilitates the formation of soluble and diffusible superoxide intermediates by the reduction of the remaining Ocompeting with surface growth for LiOformation.