Strong Capillary Forces Research Articles

Smart Green Cotton Textiles with Hierarchically Responsive Conductive Network for Personal Healthcare and Thermal Management.

Whereas cotton as an abundant natural cellulose has been widely used for sustainable and skin-friendly textiles and clothes, developing cotton fabrics with smart functions that could respond to various stimuli is still eagerly desired while remaining a great challenge. Herein, smart multiresponsive cotton fabric with hierarchically copper nanowire interwoven MXene conductive networks that are seamlessly assembled along a 3D woven fabric template for efficient personal healthcare and thermal comfort regulation is successfully developed. The robust hierarchically interwoven conductive network was "glued" and protected by organic conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) along a 3D interconnected fabric template to enhance interfacial adherent and environmental stability. Benefiting from the robust multiresponsive hierarchically interwoven conductive network, smart cotton fabric exhibits real-time response to various external stimuli (light/electrical/heat/temperature/stress), and the details of human activities can be accurately recognized and monitored. Furthermore, the porous structure of 3D smart fabric induced strong capillary force and confinement to phase change materials PEG, which exhibits a wide range of phase transition temperatures for efficient thermal comfort regulation. After further encapsulation with transparent fluorosilicone resin, the smart cotton fabric exhibits excellent self-cleaning performance with water/oil repellent. The smart multiresponsive cotton fabrics hold great promise in next-generation wearable systems for efficient personal healthcare and thermal management.

Experimental and numerical investigations on enhanced and stabilized flow boiling of hydrocarbon fuel in micro-finned channel

Due to the high heat transfer coefficient, flow boiling has applied in various industrial fields. Previous literature mainly focuses on the enhancement methods of flow boiling for water or refrigerants, with few reports on the enhancement of flow boiling for hydrocarbon fuels. Therefore, in this study, we design different types of micro-finned surface with strong capillary force to increases the nucleate sites and keep the wall in a superwetting state during the flow boiling to postpone the appearance of “annular bubble” flow. The influence of fin width, fin height, fin spacing and coolant type on boiling heat transfer through experiments and numerical simulation. The results show that the wider the fin width, the lower the fin height, the smaller the fin spacing, the stronger the heat transfer enhancement effect, and the more stable the flow boiling. The best heat transfer performance of the finned surface is achieved with the average wall temperature 27 °C lower and heat transfer coefficient 1.9 times higher than the smooth surface. Moreover, the heat transfer coefficient of hydrocarbon fuel is 43.3% larger than that of deionized water.

Selective laser melting manufacturing and heat transfer performance study of porous wick in loop heat pipe

Porous wicks, characterized by high capillary pumping force, lightweight, and excellent permeability, have been widely used in heat transfer. Currently, porous wicks are fabricated using powder sintering, porous foaming, and solvent volatilization techniques. However, there is the problem that the shape, size, and pore distribution of the porous structure are difficult to control. This paper proposes a novel 3D printing method to fabricate porous wicks using selective laser melting. The unit diameter and length are optimized to obtain a porous wick with high porosity and capillary pumping force. The effect of laser power on the surface morphology and porosity of the porous wick is investigated by modulating the 3D printing process parameters. The results show that the porosity of the porous wick can be regulated by changing the diameter and length of the pore unit. Decreasing the laser processing power and attaching unmelted solid-phase particles to the pore surface can further increase the porosity. When the laser power is 125 W, the unit diameter is 0.4 mm, and the unit length is 0.6 mm, the porous wick has strong capillary pumping force. The 316L porous material is modified by heat treatment to obtain super-hydrophilic properties. The porous wick is applied to the evaporator of the loop heat pipe, which significantly improves the heat transfer performance. When the heat load is 200 W, the evaporator temperature is 57.09 °C, and the thermal resistance is 0.025 °C/W.

High performance composite phase change materials enhanced via evaporation-induced hydrogen bond network refactoring

Composite phase change materials (CPCMs) with real-time thermal harvesting are in high demand in the solar-thermal energy conversion industry. However, poor heat conduction, lack of strength and leakage problem severely restrict its availability. In this study, we develop an evaporation-inspired, facile, and versatile strategy for manufacturing shape stable CPCMs from organohydrogels with enhanced thermal performances for advanced thermal energy storage and management. Organohyodrogels contained with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) served as the template. By oven-drying the organohydrogel, hydrogen bonding reconstruction would assist in the formation of a dense polymer layer to encapsulate PCMs, forming the non-leakage CPCMs. The strong capillary force generated during the oven-drying process would induce the alignment of GNPs, forming thermal conduction pathways. The as-prepared composite exhibits a high thermal conductivity (1.25 W m-1K−1), satisfactory latent heat storage (171.5 J g−1) and excellent Young’s modulus (8.3 MPa). When subjected to solar radiation, solar energy is converted to heat and stored inside the material, with a conversion efficiency as high as 95.8 %. The robust composite with high performance is expected to be an efficient and reliable thermal management material in solar-thermal energy conversion.

Prompt Molten Na Infusion and Fluidic Transport by Virtue of Versatile Nano Canal Defects on Tin Oxide Sodiophilic Hosts

AbstractIntrinsically weak metal affinity and sluggish sodium (Na) nucleation/molten fluidic transport of conventional hosts impede the fabrication of high‐capacity Na anodes. Mediating surface free energies (SFEs) of hosts and reinforcing their intermolecular attraction to viscous Na fluids can radically solve these problems. Herein, “canaled” tin oxide nanorod arrays grown on a 3D carbon cloth (CC) matrix exhibit distinct polar/nonpolar SFE components that markedly elevate the solid–liquid wettability for molten Na is reported. Such nanocanal defects render strong capillary forces for spontaneous molten Na imbibition and help to instantly activate Na─Sn alloying and Na nucleation reactions. Furthermore, sodiophilic Na15Sn4 interlayers evolved in former alloying procedures also aid in reducing Na nucleation energy barriers and guide the planar electro‐deposition/dispersion, alleviating the uncontrolled Na dendrite growth. The derived Na/Na15Sn4/CC anodes can thus keep stable after 2000 h of galvanostatic cycling at 1 mA cm−2 or high‐rate testing, without notable dendritic formation. The packed full cells also show superior rate capability and cyclability (capacity retention over 91.5% after all cycling at 1 C). This work provides a smart nano‐engineering way to trigger a fast infusion of molten metals into hosts and synergistically facilitate Na fluidic transport, which may push forward the scalable application of Na metal batteries.

Intrinsically Antifouling, soft and conformal bioelectronic from scalable fabrication of Thin-Film OECT arrays by zwitterionic polymers

Thin-film bioelectronic arrays, emerging as a new medical tool, offers significant opportunities for health monitoring, medical diagnosis, medical treatment, life science studies, etc. Thin film devices face several challenges, including biofouling which hinders targeted electrocoupling in complex biological environments, high surface Young's modulus that causes mechanical mismatches with biological matter, and poor surface adhesion that makes it difficult to conform to undeveloped biosurfaces. Here, we developed a universal lithography fabrication platform with high yield, uniformity, and precision to prepare a biomimetic thin-film organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) array featuring intrinsic biofouling resistance, tissue-like surface softness, and strong adhesion to undeveloped surfaces. This fabrication platform is based on the photolithography fabrication of zwitterionic-polymer-based conducting channels and hermetic encapsulation systems without compromising their electrical properties and low permeability. The all-zwitterionic feature softens the surface and helps prevent proteins and cells from approaching the encapsulation and channel surface, thus protecting the OECT array from interference from nonspecific protein and cell interactions. The strong capillary force from the hydrated zwitterions drives the thin-film device to conform well on nonplanar surfaces. Utilizing this biomimetic device, we successfully demonstrated cell-selective electrocoupling in the presence of white blood cells (WBCs) and simultaneously realized close and stable on-skin electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring via good skin contact and robust epidermal surface lipid resistance. We envision that our process would provide a versatile platform for producing antifouling and flexible bioelectronic devices that seamlessly integrate with biological systems, and promote the practical application of thin-film bioelectronic arrays in real-life scenarios.

Observation of Capillary Condensation and Pattern Bending Phenomena in Si Nanopillars Using <i>In Situ</i> TEM

Capillary condensation, a ubiquitous phenomenon involving the heterogeneous nucleation of liquid droplets, has significant implications in various industrial, biological, and atmospheric processes. Strong capillary forces induced by highly curved menisci of condensates can have potentially significant impact on the structural integrity and functionality of nanodevices. While the influence of surface properties on the nucleation and growth of water droplets has been extensively studied at microscale, our understanding of water condensation at the nanoscale remains limited due to experimental challenges in imaging liquids at nanometer scales. In this study, we employ in situ liquid phase TEM imaging and for the first time present real-time observations of water condensation dynamics on arrays of vertical silicon (Si) nanopillars. Experimental and simulation results show that nucleation of water droplets occurs at the edges of the nanopillars and substrate, followed by the growth of an interfacial layer resembling a corona around the nanopillars. Subsequently, the formation of bridges between adjacent growing coronas leads to the development of symmetric and asymmetric bridged nanopillar geometries. Importantly, we find that the formation of bridges can induce bending and collapse of the nanopillars, depending on their aspect ratios. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the nanoscale dynamics of capillary condensation and paves the way for advanced engineering applications and optimization of various technological processes.

Pore structure and fluid mobility of tight carbonate reservoirs in the Western Qaidam Basin, China

AbstractTight carbonate reservoirs in the Western Qaidam Basin have complex lithologies and pore structures. The oil–water mobility law in reservoirs has not yet been completely determined, restricting the formulation of rational reservoir development methods. To bridge this gap, in this study, we used several test methods, such as casting thin sections, mercury intrusion, and nuclear magnetic resonance, to obtain the pore structure and oil–water displacement characteristics of tight carbonate reservoirs in the Western Qaidam Basin. The pore structures of the reservoirs could be categorized into three types: microfractures + dissolved pores + micropores (MFD), microfractures + micropores (MF), and matrix (M). The characteristics of single‐phase oil seepage and water flooding in reservoirs with various pore structures differed evidently. For the MF‐ and M‐types, the water‐locking effect caused by the strong capillary force affected oil charging in the micropores. The effect of the pressure drop on the MFD‐type algal limestone was less than that on the MF‐type limestone (dolomite) because of the occurrence of a non‐Darcy flow. The MFD‐type, which contained microfractures, had preferential seepage channels, resulting in obvious fluid channeling and low water displacement efficiency. Oil−water displacement mainly occurred in the dissolved pores and microfractures, suggesting that starting oil accumulation in the micropores was crucial. This study will assist in efficient development of tight carbonate reservoirs in the Western Qaidam Basin.

Capillary forces and capillary bridges between a three-finger microgripper and a plate

ABSTRACT The presence of surface tension in liquids, which induces a strong capillary force between wetting particles in micro/nano scale, has aroused extensive attention. In present study, a fundamental investigation on capillary forces and rupture behaviors of capillary bridges between a three-finger microgripper and a plate is conducted in quasi-static state. Theoretical analysis is performed for solutions of the capillary force. The capillary bridges between a three-finger microgripper and a plate are established based on the principle of energy minimization. An analytical approach for computing the capillary force for the three-finger/plate geometry is proposed by means of variables obtained from the simulation models. The comparison of the single-finger capillary bridge and three-finger capillary bridge is investigated based on the developed models. The effects of separation distance, capillary bridge volume, radial distance and contact angle on the capillary force of three-finger capillary bridges are analyzed in detail. The results demonstrate that the variation of capillary force with separation distance and volume changing is not monotonic, which is caused by the edge effect of the three-finger microgripper. Capillary force measurements were experimentally characterized to demonstrate the reliability of the simulation models and the capillary force solution method based on an established experimental platform.

Phytic acid–decorated κ-carrageenan/melanin hybrid aerogels supported phase change composites with excellent photothermal conversion efficiency and flame retardancy

Organic phase change materials (PCMs) have been widely applied to thermal energy storage systems; however, poor solar–thermal conversion performance, high flammability, and liquid leakage issues considerably limit their practical application in efficient solar energy utilization. Herein, phytic acid–decorated melanin/κ-carrageenan aerogels (PMCAs) with excellent solar–thermal effect and satisfactory flame retardancy were developed using the cationic induction method. Then, form-stable PCM composites (PMPCMs) were fabricated by integrating molten n-octacosane into PMCAs through vacuum impregnation. The PMCAs effectively supported n-octacosane and avoided liquid leakage during the solar–thermal storage process owing to their strong surface tension and capillary force. The PMPCMs exhibited considerably high encapsulated efficiency (up to 97.73%), satisfactory thermal storage ability (246.7–257.7 J/g), and excellent thermal reliability. The introduction of natural melanin (natural photothermal conversion compound) and phytic acid (bio-based phosphorus-rich compound) significantly enhanced the solar–thermal conversion efficiency (from 61.7% to 89.4%) and flame retardancy of the PMPCMs. Thus, the synthesized form-stable composites possess tremendous potential for solar energy utilization.

Design, fabrication and heat transfer performance study of a novel flexible flat heat pipe

In this work, a novel flexible flat heat pipe (FFHP) is developed to dissipate high heat flux in flexible electronic devices. Its evaporation section and condensation section are made of metal cavity structure to guarantee good heat conduction, and flexible copper foil is used as the shell material of the adiabatic section to improve the overall flexibility. Spiral woven mesh adhered to a coarse copper mesh is selected as the liquid-wicking structure due to its excellent flexibility and strong capillary force, and the coarse copper mesh serves as a supportive structure. Deionized water is chosen as the working fluid. A feasible manufacturing process is also proposed. The effects of different liquid filling ratios (30%, 40%, 50%), bending curvature diameters (20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm), and bending angles (0° ∼ 180°) on the heat transfer performance of the FFHP are investigated. Experimental results demonstrate that the FFHP with the optimum liquid filling ratio of 40% can transport heat up to 25 W in the horizontal operation state with a minimum thermal resistance of 0.99 K/W. Moreover, the FFHP can be bent from 0° to 180°. When bent to 180° with a curvature diameter of 30 mm, it still can transport a maximum heat of 15 W.

Flame-Retardant and Form-Stable Phase-Change Composites Based on Phytic Acid/ZnO-Decorated Surface-Carbonized Delignified Wood with Superior Solar-Thermal Conversion Efficiency and Improved Thermal Conductivity.

In order to efficiently exploit solar-thermal energy, it is essential to develop form-stable phase-change material (PCM) composites simultaneously with superior solar-thermal storage efficiency, excellent flame retardancy, and improved thermal conductivity. Herein, phytic acid (PA)-modified, zinc oxide-deposited, and surface-carbonized delignified woods (PZCDWs) were constructed by alkaline boiling, PA modification, ZnO deposition, and surface carbonization. Then, novel form-stable PCMs (PZPCMs) with superior solar-thermal storage efficiency, excellent flame retardancy, and improved thermal conductivity were fabricated by impregnating n-docosane into PZCDWs under vacuum. The PZCDW aerogels can well support the n-docosane and overcome liquid leakage owing to their superior surface tension and strong capillary force. Differential scanning calorimetry results showed that PZPCMs possessed superior n-docosane encapsulation yield and high phase-change enthalpy (185.2-213.1 J/g). Decorating delignified wood by surface carbonization and ZnO deposition significantly improved the solar-thermal conversion efficiency (up to 86.2%) and thermal conductivity (193.3% increased) of PCM composites. Furthermore, with the introduction of PA into PZPCMs, the peak heat release rate and total heat release of the PCM composites decreased considerably, indicating the enhanced flame retardancy of PZPCMs. In conclusion, the novel renewable wood-based PCM composites demonstrate promising potential in solar energy harnessing and thermal modulation technologies.

Fe3O4-Functionalized κ-Carrageenan/Melanin Hybrid Aerogel-Supported Form-Stable Phase-Change Composites with Excellent Solar/Magnetic–Thermal Conversion Efficiency and Enhanced Thermal Conductivity

Impregnating organic phase-change materials (PCMs) into biomass-derived aerogels is regarded as one of the most effective and accessible approach to address the liquid leakage issues of solid–liquid PCMs. However, the inefficient solar–thermal conversion and low thermal conductivity still restrict the large-scaled applications of organic PCMs in solar utilization fields. Herein, novel form-stable PCM composites (CMPCM-Fe) with enhanced thermal conductivity and excellent solar- and magnetic-driven thermal energy conversion and storage efficiency were fabricated by impregnating n-docosane into Fe3O4-functionalized κ-carrageenan/melanin hybrid aerogels (CMA-Fe) through vacuum impregnation. CMA-Fe effectively supported n-docosane and prevented the leakage issue during the phase transition process owing to its strong surface tension and capillary force. CMPCM-Fe exhibited high encapsulated efficiency (88.9–94.6%), satisfactory thermal storage capacity (229.1–246.9 J/g), and excellent reversible stability. The introduction of Fe3O4 nanoparticles enhanced the thermal conductivity (55.3% increased) and solar–thermal conversion efficiency (up to 93.5%) of CMPCM-Fe and endowed it with excellent magnetic–thermal conversion capacity under an alternating magnetic field. The synthesized CMPCM-Fe possesses broad application prospect in mutiresponse thermal management.

Insight into Water Occurrence and Pore Size Distribution by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in Marine Shale Reservoirs, Southern China

The exploitation of shale gas has been a hot topic, and the understanding of water occurrence and pore size distribution in shale reservoirs plays a crucial role in efficiently developing this type of resource. In this study, we target moderate-shallow marine shales from the Lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation and deep marine shales from the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance is applied to investigate the water occurrence and pore size distribution together with complementary experiments including mineral component analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle measurement, and high-speed centrifugation. The SEM analysis shows that the moderate-shallow shales have some inorganic nanopores and cracks but almost no organic pores, while the deep shales have abundant organic nanopores. The average movable water saturation of moderate-shallow and deep shales is only 15.5% and 15.2%, respectively. It implies that the high irreducible water saturation is a typical characteristic for both marine shales, which is ascribed to the strong capillary force of the nanopore inhibiting water flowing out of the pore space. By means of high-speed centrifugation and contact angle measurement, the converting factor of the T2 value into pore size was obtained. The average pore size in moderate-shallow shales is 19.4, 21.8, and 26.8 nm, respectively, while the average pore size in deep shales is 109, 57, and 68.4 nm, respectively, for the tested samples. This indicates that organic pores in deep shales contribute to the development of abundant nanopores. This study brings insight into characterizing the water occurrence and pore size distribution of moderate-shallow and deep marine shales.

Multifunctional superelastic graphene aerogels derived from ambient-dried graphene oxide/camphene emulsions

• Graphene aerogels (GAs) were prepared by ambient drying of GO/camphene emulsions. • Pore structures of GAs were crucially determined by phase transitions of camphene. • GAs exhibited excellent mechanical/thermal properties and oil adsorption capability. Graphene oxide (GO) emulsions have been widely adopted to fabricate lightweight graphene aerogels (GAs). However, preparing high-performance GAs from conventional GO emulsions under ambient conditions seems rather challenging because of the structural collapse caused by strong capillary forces during drying. Here, we report a new, low-cost route to prepare high-performance, multifunctional GAs by the ambient drying of GO/camphene emulsions. Benefiting from the liquid–solid and solid–gas phase transitions of camphene, highly porous GO aerogels were obtained under ambient conditions. Moreover, the thermally annealed GO aerogels exhibited excellent mechanical properties, fire resistance, thermal insulation performance, and oil adsorption capability.

Flow Boiling Enhancement Using Three-Dimensional Contact-Line Pinning on Hierarchical Superbiphilic Micro/Nanostructures.

Flow boiling is a promising method for the cooling of sensitive computational and industrial components, facilitating the transportation of large quantities of heat at near-constant temperature and in a small form factor. The prevention of vapor film formation is a fundamental challenge for the enhancement of boiling systems, and an impetus therefore exists for the discovery of new techniques to segregate nucleating bubbles during their formation. Herein, we utilize the strong capillary forces generated by nanostructures to pin the liquid/vapor interface in three dimensions and thereby control the coalescence and flow interactions of developing bubbles. We demonstrate this principle on both symmetrical and asymmetrical superbiphilic microstructures, showing enhancement of peak heat transfer coefficient by 81% and 113%, respectively, when compared to the best superhydrophilic and superhydrophobic analogues. Our approach shows a potential future direction for engineered boiling micro/nanostructures, wherein bubble dynamics are directly manipulated on bespoke, three-dimensional substrates.

Coalescence‐induced jumping of microdroplets on superhydrophobic surfaces—A numerical study

AbstractWe develop a numerical framework for simulating the coalescence and jumping of microdroplets on superhydrophobic surfaces. The framework combines the volume of fluid (VOF) method with models for advancing and receding contact angles on a number of superhydrophobic surfaces. We demonstrate the temporal and spatial convergence of the framework and show agreement between our numerical results and other experimental studies. The capillary‐inertial scaling is investigated together with the existence of a cut‐off behaviour frequently observed in the lower size‐range of that regime. We investigate findings in some of the previous studies that the cut‐off behaviour can be attributed to viscosity effects and dissipation due to interaction with surface microstructures. We exemplify specific features related to the jumping process and the corresponding energy budget analysis when microdroplets coalesce and jump. We have tested droplets of a radius as small as 0.5 μm that are still jumping but recorded a decrease in the jumping velocity and the degree of energy conversion compared to the jumping of larger droplets. We argue and prove that strong capillary forces originating from the high curvature oscillations dissipate the energy of the system significantly faster in the case of microdroplets.

Smart multi-responsive aramid aerogel fiber enabled self-powered fabrics

Wearable electronics and systems with self-powered real-time responses to various stimuli, such as mechanical, electrical, thermal and optical signals，are eagerly desired, however still remain great challenges. Herein, smart fibers with multi-response to external stimuli are developed via wet spinning porous aramid aerogel nanofibers while utilized as a three-dimensional hierarchical percolating skeleton for silver nanowires (AgNWs) interwoven MXene conductive network. The coaxial AgNWs/MXene@ aramid aerogel nanofibers with entangled heterostructures effectively avoid “trade-off” effect between high electrical conductivity and mechanical flexibility of smart fibers. Meanwhile, the hierarchical porous structure of aerogel conductive fibers induced strong capillary force and confinement to polyethylene glycol, which has a wide range of phase transition temperature and huge enthalpy to store tremendous thermal energy. After further encapsulated with transparent fluorosilicone resin, the stabilized smart fiber exhibits excellent self-cleaning properties with water and oil repellent. Furthermore, the woven aerogel fabrics coupled with thermoelectric generator realized efficient reversible energy conversion and storage as well as solar-thermal-electrical power generation for all-weather electricity power supply, which could drive the operation of wearable electronics and car models without batteries, providing an efficient strategy for outdoor travel and lunar rover continuous operating. The smart aramid aerogel fibers and fabrics hold great promise for next generation of self-powered wearable systems.

Stable Li/Cu2O composite anodes enabled by a 3D conductive skeleton with lithiophilic nanowire arrays

Lithium (Li) metal is an attractive anode for next-generation high-energy-density rechargeable batteries due to its high theoretical capacity and low redox potential. However, the uncontrolled growth of Li dendrites and infinite volume change during Li stripping/plating process lead to low coulombic efficiency and safety concern. To solve these critical issues, copper foam with Cu2O nanowire arrays (COCF) is rationally designed and used as three-dimensional (3D) conductive skeleton for compositing Li. Cu2O nanowire arrays structure with strong capillary forces and lithiophilicity is beneficial for the wetting of molten Li on surface and Li + nucleation. In addition, the 3D robust Cu skeleton with porous structure can reduce the local current density and regulate the distribution of Li+ flux on the electrode surface, leading to homogeneous nucleation and deposition of lithium, as well as mitigating the volume expansion. As a result, the COCF–Li composite lithium anode exhibits a prolonged cycling stability over 1000 h with a low over-potential of ∼50 mV at a current density of 1 mA∙cm−2 in a symmetric cell. Even at a current density of 4 mA∙cm−2 and deposition capacity of 4 mAh∙cm−2, it still delivers a stable cycling performance for 600 h.

Degrading biomass to construct cation-gathered spongy layer conjugated electron-enriched carbon framework for Li metal battery

Herein, a controllable hydrothermal degradation strategy is developed for converting Pinus sylvestris into multi-gradient spongy carbon-coated three-dimensional carbon framework (HPSC) with negatively charged surface. It is confirmed that the inner carbon skeleton is highly conductive and rigid, while the sponge-like outer layer composed of coralloid carbon exhibits low conductivity and high toughness. This unique structure enables lithium metal to nucleate and grow uniformly within HPSC in carbonate electrolyte, observed by in situ optical microscopy and X-ray computed tomography (XCT). Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and COMSOL multiphysics simulations further demonstrate that the stable lithium plating/stripping is driven by: (I) the negatively charged surface for high lithium ions concentration at the electrode/electrolyte interface; (II) the tough and porous sponge layer with strong capillary force on rigid skeleton for perfect accommodation and homogenization of deposited lithium metal; (III) gradient conductive carbon framework for preferential nucleation and uniform growth on the carbon skeleton. As a result, HPSC-Li symmetric cells exhibit a long-term cycling stability over 2000 h at 0.5 mA cm−2 with low voltage overpotential (< 30.0 mV). Importantly, the HPSC-Li//LiCoO2 cells also show much improved performances with high LiCoO2 mass of about 20.0 mg cm−2.