Electrochemically induced highly ion conductive porous scaffolds to stabilize lithium deposition for lithium metal anodes. Issue 19 (9th April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Qiulin; Yang, Yifang; Zheng, Hongfei; Xie, Qingshui; Yan, Xiaolin; Ma, Yating; Wang, Laisen; Peng, Dong-Liang
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 7:Issue 19(2019)
• Page Start: 11683
• Page End: 11689
• Publication Date: 2019-04-09
• Subjects: Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/c9ta01834d
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7488

Abstract

Abstract : The electrochemically-induced lithiophilic Li–Zn alloy scaffold with high ionic conductivity, together with the Li2 O passivated surface, can reduce the nucleation overpotential of Li deposition, enhance the Li + ions diffusion and guide the homogeneous nucleation of Li, and thus suppressing the lithium dendrite growth. Abstract : Lithium (Li) metal is regarded as one of the most promising anode candidates for next-generation energy storage systems due to its high theoretical capacity and low operating voltage. However, the growth of lithium dendrites caused by inhomogeneous and uncontrolled Li deposition hinders its practical application. Herein, a 3D porous lithiophilic zinc (Zn) scaffold modified with a thin zinc oxide (ZnO) surface layer on Cu foil (Zn/ZnO/Cu) as a current collector for lithium metal anodes is constructed by magnetron sputtering. The Zn/ZnO scaffold would react with Li + ions before the deposition of lithium metal, leading to the formation of a Li–Zn alloy scaffold with a Li2 O modified layer (Li–Zn/Li2 O) on its surface. The surface Li2 O layer with high ionic conductivity would passivate the conductive surface and provide a potential gradient across the surface layer and 3D porous Li–Zn alloy scaffold. Consequently, a Zn/ZnO@Li|Li symmetric cell can cycle stably for more than 500 h at 4 mA cm −2 for a total capacity of 1 mA h cm −2 and a low polarization (around 40 mV). Moreover, an ultra-long cycling life with a high capacity retention of 81% after 1000 cycles for a Li4 Ti5 O12 |Zn/ZnO@Li full cell is also realized, showing that the Li–Zn/Li2 O porous scaffold on Cu foil has a great prospect as a 3D current collector for Li metal anodes in the future.