Cuprite-coated Cu foam skeleton host enabling lateral growth of lithium dendrites for advanced Li metal batteries

Abstract

Dendrite growth is one of the most difficult problems hindering the application of Li metal anode for advanced high-energy-density lithium batteries. Regulating and guiding the harmless growth of lithium dendrites could be more effective and feasible than suppressing or blocking dendrite growth. Here, we develop a cuprite-coated Cu foam-Li composite electrode (CCOF-Li) by the facile and scalable thermal infusion method. The CCOF-Li electrode with copper defects on the skeletons, and its sags and crests surface morphology, can decrease the local current density and enable lateral growth of Li dendrites. The “dead” Li layer is inhibited successfully owing to the lateral growth of dendrites. The CCOF-Li electrode shows very low overpotential (15.8 mV at 1 mA cm−2 and 64.2 mV at 6 mA cm−2) and excellent cycle stability (above 500 cycles) in symmetric cells, much improved comparing with Li foil anode. The advancement of CCOF-Li electrode in Li-S batteries over Li foil is also proved with better cycle performance and rate capability, demonstrating great potential for application in next generation lithium batteries.