Inserting a photoelectrode into the cathodeside of the Li–O2 battery has been considered as one of the effective ways to improve the reaction kinetics of Li2O2 and reduce the discharge/charge overpotential. Thus, the development of compatible bifunctional photoelectrode is of great significance for the realization of a solar-assisted Li–O2 battery. Here in, hexagonal-phase borophene nanosheets (HPBNs) were prepared by I2 oxidizing layered MgB2 in a mixture of CH3CN and HCl and followed by ultrasonic exfoliation.
Based on the I2 oxidizing and chelating action along with precise thermodynamic regulation, 94% Mg2+ ions were maximally extracted from MgB2 for achieving hexagonal-phase borophene with typical parallel planes of (104) and (208). The obtained HPBNs were assigned to direct band gap semiconductor with a band gap of 2.61 eV enabling massive visible light absorption and displayed applicable potentials for Li2O2/O2 redox.The assembled photoassisted Li–O2 battery exhibited a highround-efficiency of 98% and a long cycle and superior rate performance at 1 mAcm–2. It is of particular concern that the HPBNs-based Li–O2 batterybe enabled to operate under outdoor solar along with a comparable performance of photoassisted Li–O2 battery under Xe lamp. This work could provide promising insight for accelerating applications of bifunctional photoelectrodes in solar-assisted Li–O2 batteries.
Researchers are working on improving a type of battery called a Li–O2 battery by adding a special component called a photoelectrode to its design. This addition helps the battery work more efficiently and reduces the energy required to charge and discharge it.
To achieve this, they created a new material called hexagonal-phase borophene nanosheets (HPBNs) using a chemical process. This material can absorb a lot of visible light and shows promise in enhancing the battery's performance
The improved battery, which incorporates these HPBNs, demonstrated high efficiency and performed well under both artificial and natural sunlight. This advancement could significantly impact the development of solar-assisted batteries, making them more effective and practical for everyday use.
