Lithiophilic Multichannel Layer to Simultaneously Control the Li-Ion Flux and Li Nucleation for Stable Lithium Metal Batteries

Citations Over Time

Abstract

Although the Li metal has been gaining attention as a promising anode material for the next-generation high-energy-density rechargeable batteries owing to its high theoretical specific capacity (3860 mAh g-1), its practical use remains challenging owing to inherent issues related to Li nucleation and growth. This paper reports the fabrication of a lithiophilic multichannel layer (LML) that enables the simultaneous control of Li nucleation and growth in Li-metal batteries. The LML, composed of lithiophilic ceramic composite nanoparticles (Ag-plated Al₂O₃ particles), is fabricated using the electroless plating method. This LML provides numerous channels for a uniform Li-ion diffusion on a nonwoven separator. Furthermore, the lithiophilic Ag on the Li metal anode surface facing the LML induces a low overpotential during Li nucleation, resulting in a dense Li deposition. The LML enables the LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂|| Li cells to maintain a capacity higher than 75% after 100 cycles, even at high charge/discharge rates of 5.0 C at a cutoff voltage of 4.4 V, and achieve an ultrahigh energy density of 1164 Wh kg-1. These results demonstrate that the LML is a promising solution enabling the application of Li metal as an anode material in the next-generation Li-ion batteries.

Related Papers

• → Interaction of the Nucleation Processes Occurring at Adjacent Nucleation Sites(1993)103 cited
• → Critical Nucleus Size and Activation Energy of Ag Nucleation by Electrochemical Observation of Isolated Nucleation Events(2023)15 cited
• → Understanding additive controlled lithium morphology in lithium metal batteries(2020)39 cited
• → Quasi-metallic lithium encapsulated in the subnanopores of hard carbon for hybrid lithium–ion/lithium metal batteries(2022)26 cited
• → Author response for "Hyperconjugation-controlled molecular conformation weakens lithium-ion solvation and stabilizes lithium metal anodes"(2024)