Synchronous Healing of Li Metal Anode via Asymmetrical Bidirectional Current

• Published in: iScience Vol. 23; no. 1; p. 100781
• Main Authors: Wang, Dong, Qin, Chichu, Li, Xilong, Song, Ganqiang, Liu, Yumin, Cao, Mengyang, Huang, Lu, Wu, Yingpeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 24.01.2020; Elsevier
• Subjects: Electrical Engineering; Electrochemical Energy Storage; Energy Materials; Energy Materials; Electrochemical Energy Storage; Electrical Engineering
• ISSN: 2589-0042; 2589-0042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2019.100781

The creation of Li metal anodes while minimizing dendrite growth is an important challenge for developing high-energy density batteries. Dendrites can originate from an inhomogeneous charge distribution or an irregular substrate, and often, the way to suppress dendrite growth is to avoid their formation altogether (ion-uniform mechanism over a shelf time). Herein, we propose a different route to eliminate dendrite formation, called an asymmetrical bidirectional current mode (ABCM) of charging, leading to a healable Li metal anode and resulting in a positive feedback cycle. This mode allows for a stable cyclic performance and suppresses dendrite formation effectively (while holding the polarization ∼27 mV for over 1,000 h), and provides a better result than suppressing Li dendrites via weakening of the Li dendrite (ion-uniform mechanism). These results indicate that ABCM may be a promising way to stabilize the Li anode of Li metal batteries, without any chemical/physical modification of the anode. [Display omitted] •A healable Li metal anode via anti-direction current to correct dendrite timely•Suppressed dendrite growth, very low and stable polarization after long cycling•Technology for stable Li metal battery without any chemical/physical modification Electrochemical Energy Storage; Electrical Engineering; Energy Materials