Photo-assisted non-aqueous lithium-oxygen batteries: Progress and prospects

Developing effective energy storage systems is crucial for the successful implementation of solar energy. Recently, incorporating suitable photocatalysts into the electrodes to form photo-assisted non-aqueous lithium-oxygen batteries significantly decreases the overpotentials and improves energy efficiency, providing a striking way of utilizing solar light. Focusing on this design, this work provides a timely summary of the latest progress and the remaining challenges of photo-assisted non-aqueous lithium-oxygen batteries. The working mechanisms and battery configurations are first introduced. Then, the advances in the photocatalyst materials are detailedly summarized, and the influence of illumination on the electrolyte is also reviewed. Moreover, the optimization of the operating protocols for extending the cycle life is also discussed. Future research should focus on the photocatalyst explorations, battery structure design, and operating management. The insights obtained from these investigations also benefit the development of other energy storage systems for the wide application of solar energy.