Date Time Significant progress in lithium-air battery development Research led by the University of Liverpool, in partnership with Johnson Matthey PLC and Loughborough University, is making significant progress in the development of stable and practical electrolytes for lithium-oxygen batteries. The lithium-oxygen (Li-O 2) battery (or lithium-air battery), consisting of Li-metal and a porous conductive framework as its electrode’s releases energy from the reaction of oxygen from the air and lithium. The technology is in its infancy, but in theory could provide much greater energy storage than the conventional lithium-ion battery. In a paper published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials, Professor Laurence Hardwick from the University of Liverpool’s Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy (SIRE) and colleagues meticulously characterised and developed electrolyte formulations that significantly minimises side reactions within the battery to enable improved longer cycle stability.