Rechargeable metal-air batteries possess high energy density and are projected to be excellent alternates to the state of the art current storage devices such as Li-ion batteries. The performance of metal-air batteries is guided by the kinetics of electrochemical reactions involving oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution. The present study explores the use of a gel-based electrolyte in combination with a ceramic catalyst based on titanium carbonitride for Li-O-2 battery. Stable and highly ionically conducting gel electrolyte combined with active bi-functional electrocatalyst results in flexible and thin cell design. The high bi-functional activity of the electrode for oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions in nonaqueous dimethyl acetamide medium lends itself to be a very good electrode material for Li-O-2 chemistry. The Li-O-2 cell with the gel electrolyte delivers high energy density of 1040 Wh/kg for 120 continuous cycles at high drain currents of 625 mA/g. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.