An oxygen cathode with stable full discharge-charge capability based on 2D conducting oxide

A two-dimensional conducting oxide nanosheet, which was prepared by a two-step process involving exfoliation and heat treatment, was employed as a Li-O₂ cathode without adding any conductive additives. The 2D nanostructures in the Li-O₂ cathode can provide a large surface-to-mass ratio, increase the electrode-electrolyte contact area and facilitate oxygen diffusion and electron transmission. The as-synthesized conducting oxide nanosheet of RuO₂ enables the Li-O₂ cathode to be operated under full discharge-charge conditions, and to deliver a high specific capacity of ∼900 mA h g^-1 with stable discharge-charge overpotentials (0.15/0.59 V) over 50 cycles.