Abstract
Practical implementations of rechargeable lithium (Li) metal batteries have long been plagued by multiple problems of Li anode, such as Li dendrite growth, large volume change, low Coulombic efficiency. Here, we report a protein-enabled film that can provide effective protection for Li metal. The protective film with an integrated design of high flexibility, strong adhesion and high Li-ion transference number (0.80) is fabricated by incorporating denatured zein (corn protein) with polyethylene oxide (PEO) acting as an agent for sustaining the denatured protein chains against refolding via the intermolecular interactions between them. Thus, a conformable zein-enabled protective film (zein@PEO) with simultaneous enhancement in flexibility, modulus and adhesion strength is generated to offer both functions of self-adapting and anion-anchoring abilities. The results show that the zein@PEO film is able to accommodate the volume change, reduce the side reactions, and homogenize the ion deposition. Benefiting from these significant properties/functions, the Li/Cu cell with the zein@PEO film delivers prolonged cycle life for over 500 hours with stable performance. Paired with LiMn2O4 cathode, the capacity, cycle stability and rate performance of the cell are remarkably improved as well, demonstrating the effectiveness in stabilizing Li metal batteries.
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