Find in Library

In this study, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were used as cathodes for lithium–oxygen (Li–O₂) batteries to confirm the effect of oxygen functional groups present on the CNT surface on Li–O₂ battery performance. A coating technology using atomic layer deposition was introduced to remove the oxygen functional groups present on the CNT surface, and ZnO without catalytic properties was adopted as a coating material to exclude the effect of catalytic reaction. An acid treatment process (H₂SO₄:HNO₃ = 3:1) was conducted to increase the oxygen functional groups of the existing CNTs. Therefore, it was confirmed that ZnO@CNT with reduced oxygen functional groups lowered the charging overpotential by approximately 230 mV and increased the yield of Li₂O₂, a discharge product, by approximately 13%. Hence, we can conclude that the ZnO@CNT is suitable as a cathode material for Li–O₂ batteries.