The operation of a secondary lithium-air battery requires to run the battery in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) as well as in oxygen evolution reaction (OER). OER represents the charge reaction and requires a sufficient catalyst for oxygen evolution. Currently carbon materials are widely used in cathodes of aqueous alkaline lithium-air batteries due to their high electronic conductivity, stability, relatively low costs and catalytic activity towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) [1, 2]. However, carbon-based cathode materials are non-stable in the potential range of OER as they start to corrode at potentials higher than open circuit voltage (OCV) [3, 4]. Corrosion leads to high degradation corresponding to successive capacity loss and ultimately destruction of the cathode. To improve long-term stability and reduce side reactions such as H₂ and CO₂ evolution carbon-free bifunctional cathodes for aqueous alkaline lithium-air batteries are of need [5, 6]. In this poster we present cathodes with a combination of Ag and Co₃O₄. Those were prepared with a dry-processed and solvent-free preparation method [7, 8]. Electrocatalytic activity regarding both ORR and OER was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) for up to 300 cycles in half-cells. In addition structural and surface characteristics were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). These combined measurements give new insights in the materials’ oxidation states and the stability of Ag oxides in Ag/Co₃O₄ cathodes throughout a complete battery cycle [9]. Cathodes with the combination of Ag and Co₃O₄ show high activity for both reactions ORR and OER and a significant improvement in performance compared to both pure Ag and pure Co₃O₄ cathodes. Long-term tests show superior stability of the bimetal cathodes [6].

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[4] P. N. Ross, H. Sokol, J. Electrochem. Soc. 131 (1984) 1742.

[5] D. Wittmaier, T. Danner, N. Wagner, K. A. Friedrich, J. App. Electrochem. 43 (2013) 73.

[6] D. Wittmaier, N. Wagner, K. A. Friedrich, H.A. Amin, H. Baltruschat, J. Power Sources 265 (2014) 299.

[7] D. Wittmaier, N. Wagner, H.A. Amin, H. Baltruschat, Patent App. PCT/EP2015/053586.

[8] D. Wittmaier, N. Wagner, H.A. Amin, H. Baltruschat, Patent App. DE 102014102304 A1.

[9] D. Wittmaier, Natalia A. Canas, I. Biswas, K. A. Friedrich, Adv. Energy Mater. 2015, doi: 10.1002/aenm.201500763.