Structural and electronic properties of bulk Li$_{2}$O$_{2}$: first-principles simulations based on numerical atomic orbitals

TL;DR

This study uses first-principles simulations to analyze the structural and electronic properties of bulk Li₂O₂, providing insights into its role in lithium-air batteries and the formation of polarons.

Contribution

It compares basis sets for density functional theory calculations and develops a Wannier basis to model electron-vibration interactions in Li₂O₂.

Findings

Numerical atomic orbital basis sets are compared with plane-wave results.

A localized Wannier basis is constructed to study electron-lattice interactions.

Insights into polaron formation mechanisms in Li₂O₂ are provided.

Abstract

The development of advanced materials with high specific energy is crucial for enabling sustainable energy storage solutions, particularly in applications such as lithium-air batteries. Lithium peroxide (Li$_{2}$O$_{2}$) is a key discharge product in non-aqueous lithium-air systems, where its structural and electronic properties significantly influence battery performance. In this work, we investigate the atomic structure, electronic band structure, and Wannier functions of bulk Li$_{2}$O$_{2}$ using density functional theory. The performance of different basis sets of numerical atomic orbitals are compared with respect to a converged plane-wave basis results. We analyze the material's ionic characteristics, the formation of molecular orbitals in oxygen dimers, and the band gap discrepancies between various computational approaches. Furthermore, we develop a localized Wannier basis to model electron-vibration interactions and explore their implications for polaron formation. Our findings provide a chemically intuitive framework for understanding electron-lattice coupling and offer a basis for constructing reduced models that accurately describe the dynamics of polarons in Li$_{2}$O$_{2}$. These insights contribute to the broader goal of improving energy storage technologies and advancing the field of materials design.