Effect of lithium ions on oxygen reduction in ionic liquid-based electrolytes

The effect of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) on the oxygen redox reaction (ORR) in several pyrrolidinium-based ionic liquids (ILs) is investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The results are compared to those found with LiTFSI-tetraglyme and LiTFSI-1,3-dimethyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2(1H)-pyrimidone solutions. The effect of the addition of tris(pentafluorophenyl) borane (TPFPB) to IL-LiTFSI solutions is also investigated. The results demonstrate that the presence of 0.1 M Li⁺ renders the ORR similar in the investigated ILs, lowers the reduction voltammetric currents and makes ORR electrochemically irreversible. The addition of TPFPB to IL-TFSI solutions favours the solubility of oxygen-based products of Li⁺ and should positively affect the performance of IL-based lithium-air batteries.