IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v7y2016i1d10.1038_ncomms12925.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Heme biomolecule as redox mediator and oxygen shuttle for efficient charging of lithium-oxygen batteries

Author

Listed:
  • Won-Hee Ryu

    (Yale University
    Sookmyung Women’s University
    The Nature Conservancy)

  • Forrest S. Gittleson

    (Yale University
    Sandia National Laboratories)

  • Julianne M. Thomsen

    (Yale University)

  • Jinyang Li

    (Yale University)

  • Mark J. Schwab

    (Yale University)

  • Gary W. Brudvig

    (Yale University)

  • André D. Taylor

    (Yale University)

Abstract

One of the greatest challenges with lithium-oxygen batteries involves identifying catalysts that facilitate the growth and evolution of cathode species on an oxygen electrode. Heterogeneous solid catalysts cannot adequately address the problematic overpotentials when the surfaces become passivated. However, there exists a class of biomolecules which have been designed by nature to guide complex solution-based oxygen chemistries. Here, we show that the heme molecule, a common porphyrin cofactor in blood, can function as a soluble redox catalyst and oxygen shuttle for efficient oxygen evolution in non-aqueous Li-O2 batteries. The heme’s oxygen binding capability facilitates battery recharge by accepting and releasing dissociated oxygen species while benefiting charge transfer with the cathode. We reveal the chemical change of heme redox molecules where synergy exists with the electrolyte species. This study brings focus to the rational design of solution-based catalysts and suggests a sustainable cross-link between biomolecules and advanced energy storage.

Suggested Citation

  • Won-Hee Ryu & Forrest S. Gittleson & Julianne M. Thomsen & Jinyang Li & Mark J. Schwab & Gary W. Brudvig & André D. Taylor, 2016. "Heme biomolecule as redox mediator and oxygen shuttle for efficient charging of lithium-oxygen batteries," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms12925
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12925
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms12925
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/ncomms12925?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms12925. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.