Cascade reactors for long-life solid-state sodium–air batteries

Xue Sun, Haitao Li, Yajie Song, Jiaxuan Liu, Pengxiang Ji, Xincheng Lei, Xiangzhi Zhang, Qingsong Liu, Menglu Li, Biao Deng, Dong Su () and Jiajun Wang ()
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Xue Sun: Harbin Institute of Technology
Haitao Li: Harbin Institute of Technology
Yajie Song: Harbin Institute of Technology
Jiaxuan Liu: Harbin Institute of Technology
Pengxiang Ji: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xincheng Lei: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xiangzhi Zhang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Qingsong Liu: Harbin Institute of Technology
Menglu Li: Harbin Institute of Technology
Biao Deng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Dong Su: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jiajun Wang: Harbin Institute of Technology

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Sodium (Na)-air batteries show significant potential as alternatives to lithium-air batteries due to their high theoretical energy density and the abundant availability of sodium reserves. Nevertheless, the formation of complex products, specifically NaO2, Na2O2, Na2CO3·xH2O, during the multi-step reactions inevitably raises reconciled potential incompatibility that causes low efficiency and large overpotential. Here, we introduce a cascade electrocatalysis strategy that involves switchable metal and oxygen redox chemistry through electrochemical potential tuning. Leveraging the lithium ion spatial pinning effect, sodium ions trigger in the Na[Li1/3Ru2/3]O2 electrode system to toggle the geometric state at a low electrochemical potential and oscillate among different catalytic states to achieve sequential conversion of complicated multi-step intermediates. The Na[Li1/3Ru2/3]O2 catalyst effectively compartmentalizes the threshold potential that circumvents deactivating or competing pathways while coupling different catalytic cycles. As a result, the sodium-air battery employing this catalyst exhibits long-term reversibility over 1000 cycles with a decent catalysis efficiency exceeding 99%. Our results demonstrate that the cascade electrocatalysis strategy contributes to the design of integrated sodium-air batteries with long-term cycling stability.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60840-z

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