Optimization of Carbon- and Binder-Free Au Nanoparticle-Coated Ni Nanowire Electrodes for Lithium-Oxygen Batteries.

A Au nanoparticle-coated Ni nanowire substrate without binder or carbon is used as the electrode (denoted as the Au/Ni electrode) for Li-oxygen (Li-O2) batteries. A minimal amount of Au nanoparticles with sizes of <30 nm on a Ni nanowire substrate are coated using a simple electrodeposition method to the extent that maximum capacity can be utilized. This optimized, one body, Au/Ni electrode shows high capacities of 921 mAh g−1Au, 591 mAh g−1Au, and 359 mAh g−1Au, which are obtained at currents of 300 mAg−1Au, 500 mAg−1Au, and 1000 mAg−1Au respectively. More importantly, the Au/Ni electrode exhibits excellent cycle stability over 200 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]