Electrolytes for Na-O2 Batteries: Towards a Rational Design

Abstract

Energy storage is a critical challenge for modern society, with batteries being the predominant technology of choice. Within this area, sodium-oxygen batteries present advantages such as low cost and high energy density. In order to facilitate their use, the development of targeted approaches to dealing with the technology's unique chemistry is required. Electrolytes, consisting of a salt and a non-aqueous solvent, are a key component of any optimized system. The parameters affecting electrolyte physicochemistry are, therefore, critical to battery performance, lifetime and safety, yet the field of non-aqueous solvation chemistry remains relatively unexplored even though it plays a critical role in applications as wide ranging as supercapacitors, batteries, catalysis and chemical synthesis.