A hierarchical host microstructure enables regulated inner Li deposition for stable Li metal electrodes

Li, Zhendong; Chen, George Z.; Hu, Di; Yao, Xiayin; Peng, Zhe

Abstract

Dendritic lithium (Li) deposition is a critical issue hindering the development of next-generation high-energy-density Li metal batteries (LMBs). Confining Li deposition within a three-dimensional host is a general strategy to suppress the volume expansion of the Li electrode. However, precise control of continuous Li growth in the pore space of the host is rarely investigated, which is a crucial issue to enable a high utilization ratio of the hosted Li for practical LMBs. Herein, a novel hierarchical host structure possessing a multifunctional secondary porous structure to regulate the continuous Li growth with high uniformity and reversibility is proposed. The secondary porous structure consisting of carbon nanotubes, nickel and Li2O-enriched solid electrolyte interphase is in-situ generated via lithiation reaction of a modified nickel foam scaffold, exhibiting high lithiophilicity, fast Li+ transportation and charge transfer. The LMB utilizing Li metal electrodes hosted by this rational structure achieved a stable cycling over 300 cycles with a practical LiFePO4 positive electrode (~2.5 mAh cm-2) at 0.5C/0.5C in the voltage window of 2.5-4.4 V. This work provides a novel approach to designing the host microstructure for constructing more stable Li metal electrode in practical LMBs.

Citation

Li, Z., Chen, G. Z., Hu, D., Yao, X., & Peng, Z. (2024). A hierarchical host microstructure enables regulated inner Li deposition for stable Li metal electrodes. Microstructures, 4(4), Article 2024059. https://doi.org/10.20517/microstructures.2024.13

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 12, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Oct 15, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024-12
• Deposit Date: Oct 28, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 28, 2024
• Journal: Microstructures
• Print ISSN: 2770-2995
• Electronic ISSN: 2770-2995
• Publisher: OAE Publishing
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 4
• Issue: 4
• Article Number: 2024059
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.20517/microstructures.2024.13
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/41134880
• Publisher URL: https://www.oaepublish.com/articles/microstructures.2024.13