Promising high energy lithium battery ditches pure oxygen for air

Scientists have created a type of up-and-coming lithium battery that can run on air – rather than pure oxygen – for hundreds of charging cycles. Lithium–air batteries have generated excitement in the battery community as they can, theoretically, hold nine time more energy than an ordinary lithium–ion battery. However, the few lithium–air batteries that can run off air instead of pure oxygen can only be charged tens of times before lithium salts clog their electrodes.

Electric vehicles powered by a lithium–air battery would be able to travel far further on a single charge as these batteries can hold more energy than a lithium–ion battery of the same weight. However, lithium–air batteries have yet to run on air for any length of time