Shedding Light on the Oxygen Reduction Reaction Mechanism in Ether-Based Electrolyte Solutions: A Study Using Operando UV-Vis Spectroscopy

Daniel Hirshberg, Daniel Sharon, Michal Afri, Ronit Lavi, Aryeh A. Frimer, Noa Metoki, Noam Eliaz, Won Jin Kwak, Yang Kook Sun, Doron Aurbach*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Using UV-vis spectroscopy in conjunction with various electrochemical techniques, we have developed a new effective operando methodology for investigating the oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs) and their mechanisms in nonaqueous solutions. We can follow the in situ formation and presence of superoxide moieties during ORR as a function of solvent, cations, anions, and additives in the solution. Thus, using operando UV-vis spectroscopy, we found evidence for the formation of superoxide radical anions during oxygen reduction in LiTFSI/diglyme electrolyte solutions. Nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) was used to indicate the presence of superoxide moieties based on its unique spectral response. Indeed, the spectral response of NBT containing solutions undergoing ORR could provide a direct indication for the level of association of the Li cations with the electrolyte anions.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)10860-10869
Number of pages10
JournalACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
Volume10
Issue number13
DOIs
StatePublished - 4 Apr 2018

Keywords

  • Li-polymer batteries
  • LiTFSI/diglyme electrolyte solutions
  • UV-vis spectroscopy
  • cyclic voltammetry (CV) curves
  • oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs)

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