Enhancing Bifunctional Catalytic Activity via a Nanostructured La(Sr)Fe(Co)O_3−δ@Pd Matrix as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for Li–O₂ Batteries

One of the important challenges with a bifunctional electrocatalyst is reducing the large overpotential involved in the slow kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the air electrode in a metal–air redox battery. Here, we present a nanostructured LSCF@Pd matrix of nanostructured LSCF (Nano-LSCF) with palladium to enhance the bifunctional catalytic activity in Li–O₂ battery applications. Pd nanoparticles can be perfectly supported on the surface of the Nano-LSCF, and the ORR catalytic activity was properly improved. When Nano-LSCF@Pd was applied to a cathode catalyst in Li–O₂ batteries, the first discharge ability (16912 mA h g^–1) was higher than that of Nano-LSCF (6707 mA h g^–1) and the cycling property improved. These results demonstrate that the Pd-deposited nanostructured perovskite is a capable catalyst to enhance the ORR activity of LSCF as a promising bifunctional electrocatalyst.