Pt 1 /MnO 2 Nanotip Inducing Local Electric Field Intensifies Oxygen Transport for High‐Energy‐Density Al‐Air Battery Stacks

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Authors: Min Song, Hongge Zhang, Zexin Wei, Lihua Gong, Xiaohu Chen, Jianjun Xiao, Yonghui Zhang, Shizhong Wei, Shaojun Guo, Feilong Gong
Cited by: 8
References: 36

Abstract

ABSTRACT Modulating the coordination environment of atomic site catalysts is a promising strategy to enhance the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of Al‐air battery; however, its practical development is greatly hindered by inefficient oxygen transport across the air cathode. Herein, we design a branch‐like MnO 2 support with exposed (100) facets anchoring Pt single atoms (B‐Pt 1 /MnO 2 ) to address the oxygen transport bottleneck. We demonstrate that the nanotips of branch‐like MnO 2 can induce a localized electric field that significantly enhances mesoscale oxygen transport, as validated by finite element simulation, ab initio molecular dynamics, and oxygen diffusion experiments. Meanwhile, we show that the Pt‐O 4 coordination stabilized by the (100) facet lowers the reaction energy barrier and hinders Pt leaching. This multiscale microenvironment regulation enables B‐Pt 1 /MnO 2 to achieve an ultrahigh energy density of 3690.6 Wh kg −1 and remarkable stability for over 650 h at 50 mA cm −2 , outperforming all previously reported catalysts. The ensembled practical Al‐air battery stack achieves an energy density of 480.2 Wh kg −1 , which is close to the United States Department of Energy requirements for power battery. Techno‐economic analysis reveals a system cost per kW·h only 1/50 of the reported Al‐air battery, highlighting its feasibility for sustainable energy applications.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction Advanced battery technologies research

Publication details

Journal / source
Advanced Materials
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
38
Issue
19
Pages
e72745–e72745
Publication date
6 March 2026
Language
EN