A dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) based electrolyte is first proposed for rechargeable lithium-O(2) (Li-O(2)) batteries. Superior battery performances, including high discharge capacity and low charge potential, are successfully obtained.

Lithium-oxygen batteries are an attractive technology for electrical energy storage because of their exceptionally high-energy density; however, battery applications still suffer from low rate capability, poor cycle stability and a shortage of stable electrolytes. Here we report design and synthesis of a free-standing honeycomb-like palladium-modified hollow spherical carbon deposited onto carbon paper, as a cathode for a lithium-oxygen battery. The battery is capable of operation with high-rate (5,900 mAh g À 1 at a current density of 1.5 A g À 1 ) and long-term (100 cycles at a current density of 300 mA g À 1 and a specific capacity limit of 1,000 mAh g À 1 ). These properties are explained by the tailored deposition and morphology of the discharge products as well as the alleviated electrolyte decomposition compared with the conventional carbon cathodes. The encouraging performance also offers hope to design more advanced cathode architectures for lithium-oxygen batteries.

Ultralong cycle life, high energy, and power density rechargeable lithium‐ion batteries are crucial to the ever‐increasing large‐scale electric energy storage for renewable energy and sustainable road transport. However, the commercial graphite anode cannot perform this challenging task due to its low theoretical capacity and poor rate‐capability performance. Metal oxides hold much higher capacity but still are plagued by low rate capability and serious capacity degradation. Here, a novel strategy is developed to prepare binder‐free and mechanically robust CoO/graphene electrodes, wherein homogenous and full coating of β‐Co(OH)2 nanosheets on graphene, through a novel electrostatic induced spread growth method, plays a key role. The combined advantages of large 2D surface and moderate inflexibility of the as‐obtained β‐Co(OH)2/graphene hybrid enables its easy coating on Cu foil by a simple layer‐by‐layer stacking process. Devices made with these electrodes exhibit high rate capability over a temperature range from 0 to 55 °C and, most importantly, maintain excellent cycle stability up to 5000 cycles even at a high current density.