LAUSR

Alkali metal-oxygen batteries possess a higher specific capacity than alkali-ion batteries stand out as the most competitive next-generation energy source. The core reaction mechanism of the battery is mainly the formation of alkali metal oxide during the discharge process and the decomposition of these oxides during the charge process. A large number of researchers have devoted themselves to seeking promising catalysts for the reaction. We discovered that two-dimensional Nb2O5 is a highly potential catalyst that can promote the reaction of alkali-metal oxygen batteries, but few studies focus on it. In this study, we not only investigated the catalytic performance of the pristine Nb2O5, but also demonstrated the catalytic performance of the oxygen-deficient modified Nb2O5. Furthermore, we analyzed the effect of oxygen defects on catalytic performance from multiple angles, namely, the reaction mechanism, d-band center theory, and the diffusion behavior of alkali metals. Our exploration reveals the microscopic mechanism of oxygen deficiency affecting the alkali-metal battery reaction, and provides a theoretical basis for quantitatively changing the d-band center of the catalyst through oxygen deficiency to ultimately change the performance of the catalyst.