{
  "node": {
    "id": "term:lithium-air",
    "type": "Term",
    "label": "Lithium–air battery",
    "properties": {
      "id": "lithium-air",
      "name": "Lithium–air battery",
      "abbr": "Li–O₂",
      "aka": [
        "lithium–oxygen battery",
        "Li–air"
      ],
      "section": "topic-other-chemistries",
      "definition": "A cell in which lithium metal reacts with oxygen at a porous carbon positive, forming lithium peroxide on discharge. Counting the peroxide’s mass, theoretical specific energy is about 3,500 Wh/kg, several times lithium-ion. Insulating peroxide clogs the electrode, charging needs large overpotentials, and moisture and CO₂ in real air poison the reaction.",
      "related": [
        "lithium-metal-battery",
        "zinc-air",
        "lithium-sulfur",
        "overpotential",
        "conversion-reaction",
        "redox-mediator"
      ],
      "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/lithium-air/",
      "mentions": [
        "electrode",
        "specific-energy"
      ]
    }
  },
  "edges": [
    {
      "id": "edge:5903",
      "source": "term:lithium-air",
      "target": "topic:topic-other-chemistries",
      "type": "belongsTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:5904",
      "source": "term:lithium-air",
      "target": "term:lithium-metal-battery",
      "type": "relatedTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:5905",
      "source": "term:lithium-air",
      "target": "term:zinc-air",
      "type": "relatedTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:5906",
      "source": "term:lithium-air",
      "target": "term:lithium-sulfur",
      "type": "relatedTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:5907",
      "source": "term:lithium-air",
      "target": "term:overpotential",
      "type": "relatedTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:5908",
      "source": "term:lithium-air",
      "target": "term:conversion-reaction",
      "type": "relatedTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:5909",
      "source": "term:lithium-air",
      "target": "term:redox-mediator",
      "type": "relatedTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:mentions/lithium-air/electrode",
      "source": "term:lithium-air",
      "target": "term:electrode",
      "type": "mentions",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "method": "build_glossary.mention_index + mentions",
        "field": "definition",
        "meaning": "Text mention; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:mentions/lithium-air/specific-energy",
      "source": "term:lithium-air",
      "target": "term:specific-energy",
      "type": "mentions",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "method": "build_glossary.mention_index + mentions",
        "field": "definition",
        "meaning": "Text mention; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:5912",
      "source": "term:lithium-air",
      "target": "reference:choi-post-li",
      "type": "cites",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "wiki-references.json",
        "scope": "direct technical reference"
      }
    }
  ],
  "neighbors": [
    {
      "id": "topic:topic-other-chemistries",
      "type": "Topic",
      "label": "Other and emerging chemistries",
      "properties": {
        "id": "topic-other-chemistries",
        "name": "Other and emerging chemistries",
        "lede": "Batteries beyond today’s lithium-ion: lead, nickel and primary cells, flow and metal–air batteries, solid-state and lithium-metal cells, and the multivalent and sodium chemistries in development.",
        "context": "Do not carry lithium-ion assumptions into every chemistry.",
        "example": "Two chemistries can meet the same energy target with different voltage windows and charge termination.",
        "lesson_url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/fundamentals/cell-anatomy/",
        "lesson_label": "Open cell anatomy"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:lithium-metal-battery",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Lithium-metal battery",
      "properties": {
        "id": "lithium-metal-battery",
        "name": "Lithium-metal battery",
        "section": "topic-other-chemistries",
        "definition": "A rechargeable cell whose negative electrode is lithium metal rather than a host material. It promises much higher energy density than lithium-ion, but lithium deposits unevenly on charge, so dendrites and short life have kept it from the mass market.",
        "related": [
          "lithium-metal-anode",
          "dendrite",
          "solid-state-battery",
          "anode-free"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/lithium-metal-battery/",
        "mentions": [
          "electrode",
          "negative-electrode",
          "energy-density"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:zinc-air",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Zinc–air cell",
      "properties": {
        "id": "zinc-air",
        "name": "Zinc–air cell",
        "section": "topic-other-chemistries",
        "definition": "A cell whose positive electrode uses oxygen from the air, so almost all its volume is zinc and its energy density is very high. It powers hearing aids as a primary cell; rechargeable versions are being developed for grid storage.",
        "related": [
          "primary-cell",
          "alkaline-cell",
          "long-duration-storage"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/zinc-air/",
        "mentions": [
          "electrode",
          "positive-electrode",
          "energy-density"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:lithium-sulfur",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Lithium–sulfur battery",
      "properties": {
        "id": "lithium-sulfur",
        "name": "Lithium–sulfur battery",
        "abbr": "Li–S",
        "section": "topic-other-chemistries",
        "definition": "A cell pairing a lithium-metal negative electrode with a sulfur positive electrode, which is cheap, light and converts rather than intercalates. Theoretical specific energy is very high; dissolving polysulfides and short cycle life are the obstacles.",
        "related": [
          "conversion-reaction",
          "lithium-metal-battery",
          "specific-energy",
          "polysulfide-shuttle"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/lithium-sulfur/",
        "mentions": [
          "electrode",
          "negative-electrode",
          "positive-electrode",
          "cycle-life"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:overpotential",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Overpotential",
      "properties": {
        "id": "overpotential",
        "name": "Overpotential",
        "abbr": "η",
        "section": "topic-electrochemistry",
        "definition": "The extra voltage, beyond the equilibrium potential, needed to drive a reaction at a given rate at one electrode. Activation overpotential pays for charge transfer, concentration overpotential for depleted reactant, and both appear as polarization at the terminals.",
        "unit": "V",
        "related": [
          "polarization",
          "butler-volmer",
          "exchange-current-density",
          "concentration-polarization"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/overpotential/",
        "mentions": [
          "electrode",
          "charge-transfer"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:conversion-reaction",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Conversion reaction",
      "properties": {
        "id": "conversion-reaction",
        "name": "Conversion reaction",
        "section": "topic-electrochemistry",
        "definition": "An electrode reaction in which the host compound is broken down and reformed, as sulfur or a metal fluoride is, rather than lithium slotting into an intact structure. Conversion materials store more charge than intercalation hosts but suffer large volume change and voltage hysteresis.",
        "related": [
          "intercalation",
          "alloying",
          "lithium-sulfur",
          "voltage-hysteresis"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/conversion-reaction/",
        "mentions": [
          "electrode"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:redox-mediator",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Redox mediator",
      "properties": {
        "id": "redox-mediator",
        "name": "Redox mediator",
        "aka": [
          "electron shuttle",
          "redox shuttle"
        ],
        "section": "topic-electrochemistry",
        "definition": "A dissolved molecule that is oxidised or reduced at the electrode and then carries that charge to an active material it can reach chemically, such as solid Li₂O₂ in a lithium–air battery, cutting the charging overpotential. Overcharge-protection additives work similarly: a redox shuttle oxidises at a set potential, diffuses to the negative electrode and returns, carrying the excess current.",
        "related": [
          "redox-couple",
          "overcharge",
          "electrolyte-additive",
          "overpotential",
          "redox-reaction"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/redox-mediator/",
        "mentions": [
          "electrode",
          "negative-electrode",
          "active-material",
          "lithium-air"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:electrode",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Electrode",
      "properties": {
        "id": "electrode",
        "name": "Electrode",
        "section": "topic-components",
        "definition": "A solid conductor where the cell’s reaction happens, in contact with the electrolyte. A lithium-ion cell has a negative electrode and a positive electrode, each a porous coating on a metal foil.",
        "related": [
          "negative-electrode",
          "positive-electrode",
          "porous-electrode",
          "current-collector"
        ],
        "lesson": "fundamentals/cell-anatomy/#components",
        "example": {
          "title": "Two transport paths",
          "text": "Electrons need connected solid paths to the collector; ions need electrolyte paths to reaction sites. More of one constituent displaces others at fixed volume."
        },
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/electrode/",
        "mentions": [
          "electrolyte",
          "coating"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:specific-energy",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Specific energy",
      "properties": {
        "id": "specific-energy",
        "name": "Specific energy",
        "aka": [
          "gravimetric energy density"
        ],
        "section": "topic-ratings",
        "definition": "Stored energy per unit mass, in watt-hours per kilogram. Commercial lithium-ion cells range from about 160 Wh/kg for LFP to around 270 Wh/kg for high-nickel chemistries; at pack level the figure drops by a quarter or more.",
        "unit": "Wh/kg",
        "related": [
          "energy-density",
          "cell-to-pack-ratio",
          "specific-capacity",
          "ragone-plot"
        ],
        "lesson": "fundamentals/capacity-and-c-rate/#energy",
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/specific-energy/",
        "mentions": []
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "reference:choi-post-li",
      "type": "Reference",
      "label": "Promise and reality of post-lithium-ion batteries with high energy densities",
      "properties": {
        "title": "Promise and reality of post-lithium-ion batteries with high energy densities",
        "publisher": "Nature Reviews Materials",
        "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/natrevmats.2016.13",
        "type": "Review article",
        "scope": "Post-lithium-ion materials and battery concepts, including practical cell-level limitations; historical 2016 perspective.",
        "year": 2016,
        "authors": [
          "Jang Wook Choi",
          "Doron Aurbach"
        ],
        "accessed": "2026-10-27"
      }
    }
  ]
}