Progress on Lithium Dendrite Suppression Strategies from the Interior to Exterior by Hierarchical Structure Designs

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Germany), 2020-07, Vol.16 (26), p.e2000699-n/a
• Main Authors: Shen, Lu, Shi, Peiran, Hao, Xiaoge, Zhao, Qiang, Ma, Jiabin, He, Yan‐Bing, Kang, Feiyu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anodes; Commercialization; Current distribution; Dendritic structure; Electrochemical potential; Electrolytes; Flux density; hierarchical structural design; Li dendrite suppression; Li metal protection; Lithium; Nanotechnology; Nucleation; Principles; Safety; Separators; Solid electrolytes; solid‐state electrolytes; Structural hierarchy
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.202000699

Lithium (Li) metal is promising for high energy density batteries due to its low electrochemical potential (−3.04 V) and high specific capacity (3860 mAh g−1). However, the safety issues impede the commercialization of Li anode batteries. In this work, research of hierarchical structure designs for Li anodes to suppress Li dendrite growth and alleviate volume expansion from the interior (by the 3D current collector and host matrix) to the exterior (by the artificial solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), protective layer, separator, and solid state electrolyte) is concluded. The basic principles for achieving Li dendrite and volume expansion free Li anode are summarized. Following these principles, 3D porous current collector and host matrix are designed to suppress the Li dendrite growth from the interior. Second, artificial SEI, the protective layer, and separator as well as solid‐state electrolyte are constructed to regulate the distribution of current and control the Li nucleation and deposition homogeneously for suppressing the Li dendrite growth from exterior of Li anode. Ultimately, this work puts forward that it is significant to combine the Li dendrite suppression strategies from the interior to exterior by 3D hierarchical structure designs and Li metal modification to achieve excellent cycling and safety performance of Li metal batteries. The strategy of suppressing Li dendrite growth and accommodating volume expansion is put forward from a new perspective of hierarchical structure designs of the Li anode from the interior (3D porous current collector and host matrix) to exterior (artificial solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), protective layer, separator, and solid‐state electrolyte). The Li dendrite growth mechanisms and suppression strategies are also concluded.