Vacancy-induced LaMnO₃ Perovskite as Bifunctional Air-breathing Electrode for Rechargeable Lithium-Air Battery

Development of cost-effective efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts is indispensable for commercialization of metal-air batteries. Here, vacancy-induced nanostructured LaMnO₃ perovskite was generated by a facile hydrothermal method and explored as a bifunctional air-breathing electrode for rechargeable Lithium-Air battery. Materials characterizations confirmed the formation of the nanostructured LaMnO₃ with anion and cation vacancies. The LaMnO₃ electrocatalyst on rotating ring disc electrode study showed excellent oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction activities in 0.1 M KOH electrolyte. The oxygen vacancies associated with the LaMnO₃ acted as catalyst centre and promoted reaction rate for the ORR and OER. Laboratory prototype CR-2032 air-coin cell was fabricated using the LaMnO₃ as air-breathing electrode, resulted open circuit voltage 3.3 V for more than 5 days and high discharge capacity of 3100 mA h g⁻¹ at current density of 50 mA g⁻¹. Further, once charged air-coin cell could power an LED for more than 24 h continuously.