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Vol. 18 (2026)

Oxygen-Pressure Protocol Breaking Cycle Limit of Continuously Reversible Lithium-Oxygen Batteries

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-025-01990-z
Xinhang Cui
State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, People’s Republic of China
Fenglong Xiao
State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, People’s Republic of China
Guoliang Zhang
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, People’s Republic of China
Zhangliu Tian
Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, Queenstown 117543, Singapore
Qingshan Bao
State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, People’s Republic of China
Deliang Cui
State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, People’s Republic of China
Qilong Wang
Key Laboratory for Special Functional Aggregated Materials of Education Ministry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, People’s Republic of China
Feng Dang
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, People’s Republic of China
Wei Chen
Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, Queenstown 117543, Singapore
Haohai Yu
State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, People’s Republic of China
Huaijin Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, People’s Republic of China
Gang Lian
State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Gang Lian

liangang@sdu.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 18 (2026), Article Number: 156

Abstract

Lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) battery is favored among “beyond lithium-ion” technologies for sustainability because of its exceptional energy density. Major impediments are the poor cycle stability and grievous capacity degradation at high current densities. We address these issues by a “killing two birds with one stone” O2-pressure protocol. It first resolves efficient O2 mass transport at high rates.æ The accelerated reaction kinetics optimizes the composition and growth pathway of discharge products. This protocol secondly achieves protection of Li anodes via densifying corrosion layers on them. Consequently, the battery delivers both ultrahigh discharge capacity (> 9,000 mAh g−1) at 3,000 mA g−1 and excellent cycling stability. Under a dual-strategy effect of high-pressure O2 and artificial protection layers, the battery actualizes over 11-fold increase in cycle life of 5,170 h (2,585 cycles). The strategy opens avenues for advancing Li-O2 batteries towards practical application and confers the extension to other gas-based batteries.


Highlights:
1 An O2− pressure protocol was proposed to strengthen mass transport, accelerate the reaction kinetics and optimize growth pathways of discharge products, which achieves ultrahigh discharge capacity at 3,000 mA g−1 (>9,000 mAh g−1).
2 This general pressure effect can protect Li anodes via densifying corrosion layers on them simultaneously.
3 The breakthrough of continuously operated ultralong-life lithium-oxygen batteries was actualized over a record-high lifetime of ~5,170 h (2,585 cycles) at 500 mA g−1 under constant operation.

Keywords

Li-O2 batteries O2 pressure Cycle life Li anode protection Rate performance
Cui, Xinhang, Fenglong Xiao, Guoliang Zhang, Zhangliu Tian, Qingshan Bao, Deliang Cui, Qilong Wang, Feng Dang, Wei Chen, Haohai Yu, Huaijin Zhang, and Gang Lian. 2026. “Oxygen-Pressure Protocol Breaking Cycle Limit of Continuously Reversible Lithium-Oxygen Batteries”. Nano-Micro Letters 18 (January):156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-025-01990-z.
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