Biomacromolecules enabled dendrite-free lithium metal battery and its origin revealed by cryo-electron microscopy

Abstract

Metallic lithium anodes are highly promising for revolutionizing current rechargeable batteries because of their ultrahigh energy density. However, the application of lithium metal batteries is considerably impeded by lithium dendrite growth. Here, a biomacromolecule matrix obtained from the natural membrane of eggshell is introduced to control lithium growth and the mechanism is motivated by how living organisms regulate the orientation of inorganic crystals in biomineralization. Specifically, cryo-electron microscopy is utilized to probe the structure of lithium at the atomic level. The dendrites growing along the preferred < 111 > crystallographic orientation are greatly suppressed in the presence of the biomacromolecule. Furthermore, the naturally soluble chemical species in the biomacromolecules can participate in the formation of solid electrolyte interphase upon cycling, thus effectively homogenizing the lithium deposition. The lithium anodes employing bioinspired design exhibit enhanced cycling capability. This work sheds light on identifying substantial challenges in lithium anodes for developing advanced batteries.

In Situ Construction of a LiF‐Enriched Interface for Stable All‐Solid‐State Batteries and its Origin Revealed by Cryo‐TEM

“…[1,2] Nevertheless, the large-scale application of LMBs is inherently inhibited by the uncontrollable growth of Li dendrite on Li anode. [3,4] The typical issue is addressed through various strategies, for example, the interfacial SEI engineering, [5,6] stable hosts construction, [7,8] and solid electrolyte design. [9,10] Among the strategies, the solid state electrolytes, particularly the solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) for LMBs, have gained tremendous interest for many decades.…”

Immunizing lithium metal anodes against dendrite growth using protein molecules to achieve high energy batteries

“…Therefore, it is essential to inactivate the mossy Li in the initial stage to prevent them from growing into wispy Li dendrites. Many approaches have been developed in attempts to suppress dendrite growth, such as employing biomacromolecule interlayer 6 , developing 3D porous current collectors 1,7,8 , introducing artificial solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) 9 , and optimizing electrolyte formula 10 . Among those strategies, introducing additives in the electrolyte, such as solvents or salts, has been proved to be effective in suppressing Li dendrite formation.…”

Double‐Shelled C@MoS2 Structures Preloaded with Sulfur: An Additive Reservoir for Stable Lithium Metal Anodes

“…Compared with the full cell of b‐Cu‐Li//LFP, the C@MoS 2 /S‐Cu‐Li//LFP full cell demonstrates a steady high CE of 99.5 % over 300 cycles, suggesting its feasibility for practical batteries. More importantly, the C@MoS 2 /S‐Cu‐Li//LFP full cell can also exhibit a stable cycle life under a low negative/positive capacity ratio (N/P ratio) of about 3.45 (see Figure S25), indicating its potential for the large‐scale commercial use …”