The embodiments herein provide for an oxygen/air cathode that includes metal-organic frameworks and/or hybrids of metal-organic frameworks and carbon networks. The metal-organic-framework-based Li—O2 cells are operated in humid O2 where water plays a critical role in improving battery performance. Such embodiments not only improve battery performance but also reduces the cost by cycling the Li—O2 batteries in humid oxygen with MOF@CNT hybrid catalysts.