How to Control the Discharge Products in Na–O2 Cells: Direct Evidence toward the Role of Functional Groups at the Air Electrode Surface

Sodium-oxygen batteries have received a significant amount of research attention as a low-overpotential alternative to lithium-oxygen. However, the critical factors governing the composition and morphology of the discharge products in Na-O₂ cells are not thoroughly understood. Here we show that oxygen containing functional groups at the air electrode surface have a substantial role in the electrochemical reaction mechanisms in Na-O₂ cells. Our …