Ultrahigh‐Capacity and Fire‐Resistant LiFePO4‐Based Composite Cathodes for Advanced Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Abstract

AbstractThe growing demand for advanced energy storage devices with high energy density and high safety has continuously driven the technical upgrades of cell architectures as well as electroactive materials. Designing thick electrodes with more electroactive materials is a promising strategy to improve the energy density of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) without alternating the underlying chemistry. However, the progress toward thick, high areal capacity electrodes is severely limited by the sluggish electronic/ionic transport and easy deformability of conventional electrodes. A self‐supported ultrahigh‐capacity and fire‐resistant LiFePO4 (UCFR‐LFP)‐based nanocomposite cathode is demonstrated here. Benefiting from the structural and chemical uniqueness, the UCFR‐LFP electrodes demonstrate exceptional improvements in electrochemical performance and mass loading of active materials, and thermal stability. Notably, an ultrathick UCFR‐LFP electrode (1.35 mm) with remarkably high mass loading of active materials (108 mg cm−2) and areal capacity (16.4 mAh cm−2) is successfully achieved. Moreover, the 1D inorganic binder‐like ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowires (HAP NWs) enable the UCFR‐LFP electrode with excellent thermal stability (structural integrity up to 1000 °C and electrochemical activity up to 750 °C), fire‐resistance, and wide‐temperature operability. Such a unique UCFR‐LFP electrode offers a promising solution for next‐generation LIBs with high energy density, high safety, and wide operating‐temperature window.