Ultra-high-capacity Li–air batteries have low Coulombic efficiency and degrade during re-charging, resulting in a poor cycle life. Redox mediators enable improvements but only at undesirably high potentials. The origin of this high potential and the impact of purported reactive intermediates has now been elucidated by resolving the charging mechanism using Marcus theory.
- Sunyhik Ahn
- Ceren Zor
- Peter G. Bruce