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The practical applications of non‐aqueous lithium‐oxygen batteries are impeded by large overpotentials and unsatisfactory cycling durability. Reported here is that commonly encountered fatal problems can be efficiently solved by using a carbon‐ and binder‐free electrode of titanium coated with TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNAs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Ultraviolet irradiation of the TNAs generates positively charged holes, which efficiently decompose Li2O2 and Li2CO3 during recharging, thereby reducing the overpotential to one that is near the equilibrium potential for Li2O2 formation. The AuNPs promote Li2O2 formation, resulting in a large discharge capacity. The electrode exhibits excellent stability with about 100 % coulombic efficiency during continuous cycling of up to 200 cycles, which is due to the carbon‐ and binder‐free composition. This work reveals a new strategy towards the development of highly efficient oxygen electrode materials for lithium‐oxygen batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ordered mesoporous TiC–C (OMTC) composites were prepared and served as catalysts for nonaqueous Li–O2 batteries. The OMTC cathodes showed high specific capacity, low overpotential and good cyclability. Furthermore, the reaction mechanism of Li–O2 batteries during charge and discharge processes was investigated extensively by XRD, XPS and in situ GC-MS methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]