Three-Dimensional Copper Nanowire Sponges As Novel Current Collector for Dendrite-Free Lithium Deposition

Abstract

Lithium (Li) metal, with the ultra-high theoretical capacity and the low electrochemical potential, is the ultimate anode for next-generation Li metal batteries. However, the undesirable Li dendrite growth usually results in severe safety hazards and low Coulombic efficiency. In this work, a three-dimensional (3D) conductive submicron wire sponge,fabricated using a facile one-step synthetic strategy, has been proposed to homogenize the electric field distribution on the top of Li anode, so as to inhibit the growth of Li dendrite from the root. Our experimental and simulation results show that the 3D porous structure of the Cu submicron wire sponge enables the electric field to distribute homogeneously on the top of the whole anode, and accommodates the Li deposits within its 3D porous spaces. A LiFePO4 full cell, coupled with the 3D porous Cu submicron wire sponge, shows good cycle stability as well as excellent rate capability without the Li dendrite formation after cycling. Our results obtained here provide valuable guidance and deeply understanding on the design of novel nanomaterials or structures to address the cause of the Li dendrite growth and also point out a new direction for further development of the next-generation metal-based batteries.