A Simple Model for Interpreting the Reaction–Diffusion Characteristics of Li-Air Batteries

Abstract

©The Author(s) 2017. Published by ECS. With the goal of creating a model of a Li-Air battery that is consistent with voltammetry data, we develop a full battery model capable of giving insight into details of cell operation otherwise inaccessible to common experimental techniques. With this model, we investigate the dependence of the current on: The diffusion characteristics of the electrolyte, the solubility of the ambient oxygen, the structure of the cathode, and aspects of the primary surface reaction.We explore modifications to a basic reaction-diffusion model of a full cell that bring better agreement with experimental data, including gas-electrolyte surface limited diffusion and a partially active cathode. We discuss how the basic form of the model and the simulated reaction and concentration profiles affect cell dynamics.