Graphene‐Enabled Electric‐Field Regulation and Ionic Redistribution Around Lithiophilic Aurum Nanoparticles Toward a Dendrite‐Free and 2000‐Cycle‐Life Lithium Metal Battery

Abstract

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) have attracted extensive attention owing to their high energy density. However, the uncontrolled volume changes and serious dendrite growth of the Li metal anode have hindered their commercialization. Herein, a three‐dimensional Cu foam decorated with Au nanoparticles and conformal graphene layer was designed to tune the Li plating/stripping behaviors. The 3D−Cu conductive host anchored by lithiophilic Au nanoparticles can effectively alleviate the volume expansion caused by the continuous plating/stripping of Li and reduce the nucleation energy barrier. Notably, the conductive graphene not only facilitates the transfer of electrons, but also acts as an ionic rectifier, thereby avoiding the aggregation of local current density and Li+ ions around Au nanoparticles and enabling the uniform Li+ flux. As a result, the G−Au@3D−Cu/Li anode ensures the non‐dendritic and homogeneous Li+ plating/stripping. Electrochemical results show that the symmetric G−Au@3D−Cu/Li cell delivers a low voltage hysteresis of 110 mV after 1000 h at 1 mA cm−2. Matched with a layered LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 cathode, the NCM622||G−Au@3D−Cu/Li full cell exhibits a long cycle life of 2000 cycles and an ultra‐low capacity decay rate (0.01 % per cycle).

Constructing Sn-Cu2O Lithiophilicity Nanowires as Stable and High-Performance Lithium Metal Anodes

“…After Ar + etching, an enhanced signal is observed, which is consistent with the previous explanation. According to the C 1s, F 1s, and O 1s spectra (Figure S6), the SEI formed on the surface of SCCF contains lithium-based species (Li 2 CO 3 , LiF, and so on) with high ionic conductivity . After Ar + etching, there was no significant change in the content of O, F, and C. This may be due to the formation of a relatively uniform and stable SEI, which favors the suppression of lithium dendrite growth and inhibits the occurrence of side reactions.…”