TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The lithium peroxide exhibiting the nanostructured morphology comprises nanoparticles having an average diameter of 1-200 nm, preferably 1-70 nm. The lithium peroxide having a superoxide surface structure comprises lithium peroxide comprising an oxygen-rich surface. The electrolyte in the discharged lithium-air battery comprises an ether-based solvent and a lithium salt. The electrolyte in the discharged lithium-air battery further comprises a compound that favors lithium peroxide superoxide formation. The lithium salt comprises monolithium monocarbon trifluorosulfite, lithium bis(oxalato)borate, lithium difluoro oxalatoborate, lithium tetrafluorooxalatophosphate (all preferred), lithium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonimide), lithium tetrafluoroborate or lithium hexafluorophosphate. The porous active carbon material is free of a metal-based catalyst comprising platinum, palladium, iron, titanium, zirconium, zinc, silver, gold, nickel, cobalt, manganese, cerium or lanthanum. The porous active carbon material comprises carbon black (preferred), microporous carbon, mesoporous carbon, mesoporous microbeads, graphite, expandable graphite, or carbon nanotubes. The cathode further comprises a binder, and gas diffusion layer. The separator comprises a paper or polymer separator. The anode comprises a lithium metal foil.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The polyalkylene glycol ether is of formula (R1O(((CR2R3)xO)z)R4) (I).R1 = alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl, siloxy or silyl, preferably CH3, C2H5, n-propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, tert-butyl, trimethylsilyl, or triethylsilyl;R2, R3 = H, halo, alkyl, aryl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl, silyl, or siloxy, preferably H, F, Cl, CH3, or C2H5;R4 = alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl, siloxy or silyl, preferably CH3, C2H5, n-propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, tert-butyl, cyclic carbonate, trimethylsilyl, or triethylsilyl;x = 1-6, preferably 2 or 3; andz = 2-8, preferably 2-4.(I) is tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether, and/or 2-(2-(2-(2-methoxy)ethoxy)ethoxy)ethoxy trimethyl silane. The compound that favors lithium peroxide superoxide formation comprises at least two of 12-crown-4, 15-crown-5, 18-crown-6, dibenzo-18-crown-6, and diaza-18-crown-6, propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, fluorinated ethylene carbonate, vinylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, ethyl methyl carbonate, vinyl acetate, ethylene sulfite, propylene sulfite, dimethyl sulfite, diethyl sulfite, bromo- gamma -butyrolactone, and fluoro gamma -butyrolactone, biphenyl, and/or cyclohexyl benzene.