Invar alloy@nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes as efficient bifunctional catalyst for lithium-oxygen batteries

An invar alloy@nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes (Fe–36Ni@NCNTS) material is synthesized and applied as a cathode catalyst in lithium-oxygen batteries. The Fe–36Ni@NCNTS holds a three-dimensional network structure, providing a specific surface area of 106.7 m² g⁻¹, which could offer numerous active sites and provide channels for mass transfer. Lithium-oxygen batteries assembled by Fe–36Ni@NCNTS exhibit enhanced performance, with a specific capacity of over 6500 mhA g⁻¹ and more than 60 cycles at a restricted capacity of 500 mAh g⁻¹. Moreover, the charge overpotential for Fe–36Ni@NCNTS electrodes is extremely low (ca. 1.15 V). This work provides a new strategy for efficient catalysts in lithium-oxygen batteries.