Double-Shelled C@MoS2 Structures Preloaded with Sulfur: An Additive Reservoir for Stable Lithium Metal Anodes

The growth of Li dendrites hinders the practical application of lithium metal anodes (LMAs). In this work, a hollow nanostructure, based on hierarchical MoS₂ coated hollow carbon particles preloaded with sulfur (C@MoS₂/S), was designed to modify the LMA. The C@MoS₂ hollow nanostructures serve as a good scaffold for repeated Li plating/stripping. More importantly, the encapsulated sulfur could gradually release lithium polysulfides during the Li plating/stripping, acting as an effective additive to promote the formation of a mosaic solid electrolyte interphase layer embedded with crystalline hybrid lithium-based components. These two factors together effectively suppress the growth of Li dendrites. The as-modified LMA shows a high Coulombic efficiency of 98 % over 500 cycles at the current density of 1 mA cm⁻². When matched with a LiFePO₄ cathode, the assembled full cell displays a highly improved cycle life of 300 cycles, implying the feasibility of the proposed LMA.     

Catalytic Chemistry Derived Artificial Solid Electrolyte Interphase for Stable Lithium Metal Anodes Working at 20 mA cm−2 and 20 mAh cm−2

A stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer is crucial for lithium metal anode (LMA) to survive in long-term cycling. However, chaotic structures and chemical inhomogeneity of natural SEI make LMA suffering from exasperating dendrite growth and severe electrode pulverization, which hinder the practical application of LMAs. Here, we design a catalyst-derived artificial SEI layer with an ordered polyamide-lithium hydroxide (PA-LiOH) bi-phase structure to modulate ion transport and enable dendrite-free Li deposition. The PA-LiOH layer can substantially suppress the volume changes of LMA during Li plating/stripping cycles, as well as alleviate the parasitic reactions between LMA and electrolyte. The optimized LMAs demonstrate excellent stability in Li plating/stripping cycles for over 1000 hours at an ultra-high current density of 20 mA cm⁻² in Li||Li symmetric cells. A high coulombic efficiency up to 99.2 % in Li half cells in additive-free electrolytes is achieved even after 500 cycles at a current density of 1 mA cm⁻² with a capacity of 1 mAh cm⁻².     

Beyond the Polysulfide Shuttle and Lithium Dendrite Formation: Addressing the Sluggish Sulfur Redox Kinetics for Practical High‐Energy Li‐S Batteries

Electrolyte modulation simultaneously suppresses polysulfide the shuttle effect and lithium dendrite formation of lithium–sulfur (Li‐S) batteries. However, the sluggish S redox kinetics, especially under high S loading and lean electrolyte operation, has been ignored, which dramatically limits the cycle life and energy density of practical Li‐S pouch cells. Herein, we demonstrate that a rational combination of selenium doping, core–shell hollow host structure, and fluorinated ether electrolytes enables ultrastable Li stripping/plating and essentially no polysulfide shuttle as well as fast redox kinetics. Thus, high areal capacity (>4 mAh cm^?2) with excellent cycle stability and Coulombic efficiency were both demonstrated in Li metal anode and thick S cathode (4.5 mg cm^?2) with a low electrolyte/sulfur ratio (10 μL mg^?1). This research further demonstrates a durable Li‐Se/S pouch cell with high specific capacity, validating the potential practical applications.     

Nafion/Titanium Dioxide‐Coated Lithium Anode for Stable Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries have shown great potential as high energy‐storage devices. However, the stability of the Li metal anode is still a major concern. This is due to the formation of lithium dendrites and severe side reactions with polysulfide intermediates. We herein develop an anode protection method by coating a Nafion/TiO₂ composite layer on the Li anode to solve these problems. In this architecture, Nafion suppresses the growth of Li dendrites, protects the Li anode, and prevents side reactions between polysulfides and the Li anode. Moreover, doped TiO₂ further improves the ionic conductivity and mechanical properties of the Nafion membrane. Li–S batteries with a Nafion/TiO₂‐coated Li anode exhibit better cycling stability (776 mA h g^?1 after 100 cycles at 0.2 C, 1 C=1672 mA g^?1) and higher rate performance (787 mA h g^?1 at 2 C) than those with a pristine Li anode. This work provides an alternative way to construct stable Li anodes for high‐performance Li–S batteries.     

Regulating Lithium Plating and Stripping by Using Vertically Aligned Graphene/CNT Channels Decorated with ZnO Particles

Lithium (Li) metal is regarded as the ultimate anode material for use in Li batteries due to its high theoretical capacity (3860 mA h g⁻¹). However, the Li dendrites that are generated during iterative Li plating/stripping cycles cause poor cycling stability and even present safety risks, and thus severely handicap the commercial utility of Li metal anodes. Herein, we describe a graphene and carbon nanotube (CNT)-based Li host material that features vertically aligned channels with attached ZnO particles (designated ZnO@G-CNT-C) and show that the material effectively regulates Li plating and stripping. ZnO@G-CNT-C is prepared from an aqueous suspension of Zn(OAc)₂, CNTs, and graphene oxide by using ice to template channel growth. ZnO@G-CNT-C was found to be mechanically robust and capable of guiding Li deposition on the inner walls of the channels without the formation of Li dendrites. When used as an electrode, the material exhibits relatively low polarization for Li plating, fast Li-ion diffusion, and high Coulombic efficiency, even over hundreds of Li plating/stripping cycles. Moreover, full cells prepared with ZnO@G-CNT-C as Li host and LiFePO₄ as cathode exhibit outstanding performance in terms of specific capacity (155.9 mA h g⁻¹ at 0.5 C), rate performance (91.8 mA h g⁻¹ at 4 C), cycling stability (109.4 mA h g⁻¹ at 0.5 C after 800 cycles). The methodology described can be readily adapted to enable the use of carbon-based electrodes with well-defined channels in a wide range of contemporary applications that pertain to energy storage and delivery.     

Dual‐Confined Sulfur Nanoparticles Encapsulated in Hollow TiO2 Spheres Wrapped with Graphene for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Lithium–sulfur (Li?S) batteries are attractive owing to their higher energy density and lower cost compared with the universally used lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), but there are some problems that stop their practical use, such as low utilization and rapid capacity‐fading of the sulfur cathode, which is mainly caused by the shuttle effect, and the uncontrollable deposition of lithium sulfide species. Herein, we report the design and fabrication of dual‐confined sulfur nanoparticles that were encapsulated inside hollow TiO₂ spheres; the encapsulated nanoparticles were prepared by a facile hydrolysis process combined with acid etching, followed by “wrapping” with graphene (G?TiO₂@S). In this unique composite architecture, the hollow TiO₂ spheres acted as effective sulfur carriers by confining the polysulfides and buffering volume changes during the charge‐discharge processes by means of physical force from the hollow spheres and chemical binding between TiO₂ and the polysulfides. Moreover, the graphene‐wrapped skin provided an effective 3D conductive network to improve the electronic conductivity of the sulfur cathode and, at the same time, to further suppress the dissolution of the polysulfides. As results, the G?TiO₂@S hybrids exhibited a high and stable discharge capacity of up to 853.4 mA h g^?1 over 200 cycles at 0.5 C (1 C=1675 mA g^?1) and an excellent rate capability of 675 mA h g^?1 at a current rate of 2 C; thus, G?TiO₂@S holds great promise as a cathode material for Li?S batteries.     

Ultrathin MoS2 Nanosheets Supported on N‐doped Carbon Nanoboxes with Enhanced Lithium Storage and Electrocatalytic Properties

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) has received considerable interest for electrochemical energy storage and conversion. In this work, we have designed and synthesized a unique hybrid hollow structure by growing ultrathin MoS₂ nanosheets on N‐doped carbon shells (denoted as C@MoS₂ nanoboxes). The N‐doped carbon shells can greatly improve the conductivity of the hybrid structure and effectively prevent the aggregation of MoS₂ nanosheets. The ultrathin MoS₂ nanosheets could provide more active sites for electrochemical reactions. When evaluated as an anode material for lithium‐ion batteries, these C@MoS₂ nanoboxes show high specific capacity of around 1000 mAh g^?1, excellent cycling stability up to 200 cycles, and superior rate performance. Moreover, they also show enhanced electrocatalytic activity for the electrochemical hydrogen evolution.     

Enhanced Performance of a Lithium–Sulfur Battery Using a Carbonate‐Based Electrolyte

The lithium–sulfur battery is regarded as one of the most promising candidates for lithium–metal batteries with high energy density. However, dendrite Li formation and low cycle efficiency of the Li anode as well as unstable sulfur based cathode still hinder its practical application. Herein a novel electrolyte (1 m LiODFB/EC‐DMC‐FEC) is designed not only to address the above problems of Li anode but also to match sulfur cathode perfectly, leading to extraordinary electrochemical performances. Using this electrolyte, lithium|lithium cells can cycle stably for above 2000 hours and the average Coulumbic efficiency reaches 98.8 %. Moreover, the Li–S battery delivers a reversible capacity of about 1400 mAh g^?1_sulfur with retention of 89 % for 1100 cycles at 1 C, and a capacity above 1100 mAh g^?1_sulfur at 10 C. The more advantages of this cell system are its outstanding cycle stability at 60 °C and no self‐discharge phenomena.     

An Intrinsic Flame‐Retardant Organic Electrolyte for Safe Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries

Safety concerns pose a significant challenge for the large‐scale employment of lithium–sulfur batteries. Extremely flammable conventional electrolytes and dendritic lithium deposition cause severe safety issues. Now, an intrinsic flame‐retardant (IFR) electrolyte is presented consisting of 1.1 m lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide in a solvent mixture of flame‐retardant triethyl phosphate and high flashpoint solvent 1,1,2,2‐tetrafluoroethyl‐2,2,3,3‐tetrafluoropropyl (1:3, v/v) for safe lithium–sulfur (Li?S) batteries. This electrolyte exhibits favorable flame‐retardant properties and high reversibility of the lithium metal anode (Coulombic efficiency >99 %). This IFR electrolyte enables stable lithium plating/stripping behavior with micro‐sized and dense‐packing lithium deposition at high temperatures. When coupled with a sulfurized pyrolyzed poly(acrylonitrile) cathode, Li?S batteries deliver a high composite capacity (840.1 mAh g^?1) and high sulfur utilization of 95.6 %.     

Anode-Free Lithium Metal Batteries Based on an Ultrathin and Respirable Interphase Layer

Anode-free lithium (Li) metal batteries are desirable candidates in pursuit of high-energy-density batteries. However, their poor cycling performances originated from the unsatisfactory reversibility of Li plating/stripping remains a grand challenge. Here we show a facile and scalable approach to produce high-performing anode-free Li metal batteries using a bioinspired and ultrathin (250 nm) interphase layer comprised of triethylamine germanate. The derived tertiary amine and Li_xGe alloy showed enhanced adsorption energy that significantly promoted Li-ion adsorption, nucleation and deposition, contributing to a reversible expansion/shrinkage process upon Li plating/stripping. Impressive Li plating/stripping Coulombic efficiencies (CEs) of ≈99.3 % were achieved for 250 cycles in Li/Cu cells. In addition, the anode-free LiFePO₄ full batteries demonstrated maximal energy and power densities of 527 Wh kg⁻¹ and 1554 W kg⁻¹, respectively, and remarkable cycling stability (over 250 cycles with an average CE of 99.4 %) at a practical areal capacity of ≈3 mAh cm⁻², the highest among state-of-the-art anode-free LiFePO₄ batteries. Our ultrathin and respirable interphase layer presents a promising way to fully unlock large-scale production of anode-free batteries.     

Coaxial Carbon/MnO2 Hollow Nanofibers as Sulfur Hosts for High‐Performance Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries

Lithium‐sulfur (Li‐S) batteries have recently attracted a large amount of attention as promising candidates for next‐generation high‐power energy storage devices because of their high theoretical capacity and energy density. However, the shuttle effect of polysulfides and poor conductivity of sulfur are still vital issues that constrain their specific capacity and cyclic stability. Here, we design coaxial MnO₂‐graphitic carbon hollow nanofibers as sulfur hosts for high‐performance lithium‐sulfur batteries. The hollow C/MnO₂ coaxial nanofibers are synthesized via electrospinning and carbonization of the carbon nanofibers (CNFs), followed by an in situ redox reaction to grow MnO₂ nanosheets on the surface of CNFs. The inner graphitic carbon layer not only maintains intimate contact with sulfur and outer MnO₂ shell to significantly increase the overall electrical conductivity but also acts as a protective layer to prevent dissolution of polysulfides. The outer MnO₂ nanosheets restrain the shuttle effect greatly through chemisorption and redox reaction. Therefore, the robust S@C/MnO₂ nanofiber cathode delivers an extraordinary rate capability and excellent cycling stability with a capacity decay rate of 0.044 and 0.051 % per cycle after 1000 cycles at 1.0 C and 2.0 C, respectively. Our present work brings forward a new facile and efficient strategy for the functionalization of inorganic metal oxide on graphitic carbons as sulfur hosts for high performance Li‐S batteries.     

Beyond the Polysulfide Shuttle and Lithium Dendrite Formation: Addressing the Sluggish Sulfur Redox Kinetics for Practical High-Energy Li-S Batteries

Electrolyte modulation simultaneously suppresses polysulfide the shuttle effect and lithium dendrite formation of lithium–sulfur (Li-S) batteries. However, the sluggish S redox kinetics, especially under high S loading and lean electrolyte operation, has been ignored, which dramatically limits the cycle life and energy density of practical Li-S pouch cells. Herein, we demonstrate that a rational combination of selenium doping, core–shell hollow host structure, and fluorinated ether electrolytes enables ultrastable Li stripping/plating and essentially no polysulfide shuttle as well as fast redox kinetics. Thus, high areal capacity (>4 mAh cm⁻²) with excellent cycle stability and Coulombic efficiency were both demonstrated in Li metal anode and thick S cathode (4.5 mg cm⁻²) with a low electrolyte/sulfur ratio (10 μL mg⁻¹). This research further demonstrates a durable Li-Se/S pouch cell with high specific capacity, validating the potential practical applications.     

Flexible Amalgam Film Enables Stable Lithium Metal Anodes with High Capacities

Dendrite formation is a critical challenge for the applications of lithium (Li) metal anodes. In this work a new strategy is demonstrated to address this issue by fabricating an Li amalgam film on its surface. This protective film serves as a flexible buffer that affords repeated Li plating/stripping. In symmetric cells, the protected Li electrodes exhibit stable cycling over 750 hours at a high plating current and capacity of 8 mA cm^?2 and 8 mAh cm^?2, respectively. Coupled with high‐loading cathodes (ca. 12 mg cm^?2) such as LiFePO₄ and LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂, the protected hybrid anodes demonstrate significantly improved cell stability, indicating its reliability for practical development of Li metal batteries. Interfacial analyses reveal a unique plating‐alloying synergistic function of the protective film, where Li beneath the film is actively involved in the electrode reactions upon cycling. Lithium amalgams enrich the alloy anode family and provide new perspectives for the rational design of dendrite‐free anodes.     

Stabilizing Lithium Plating by a Biphasic Surface Layer Formed In Situ

The dendritic growth of Li metal leads to electrode degradation and safety concerns, impeding its application in building high energy density batteries. Forming a protective layer on the Li surface that is electron‐insulating, ion‐conducting, and maintains an intimate interface is critical. We herein demonstrate that Li plating is stabilized by a biphasic surface layer composed of a lithium‐indium alloy and a lithium halide, formed in situ by the reaction of an electrolyte additive with Li metal. This stabilization is attributed to the fast lithium migration though the alloy bulk and lithium halide surface, which is enabled by the electric field across the layer that is established owing to the electron‐insulating halide phase. A greatly stabilized Li‐electrolyte interface and dendrite‐free plating over 400 hours in Li|Li symmetric cells using an alkyl carbonate electrolyte is demonstrated. High energy efficiency operation of the Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO)|Li cell over 1000 cycles is achieved.     

Anchoring an Artificial Solid–Electrolyte Interphase Layer on a 3D Current Collector for High‐Performance Lithium Anodes

The application of Li anodes is hindered by dendrite growth and side reactions between Li and electrolyte, despite its high capacity and low potential. A simple approach for this challenge is now demonstrated. In our strategy, the garnet‐type Li_6.4La₃Zr_1.4Ta_0.6O₁₂ (LLZTO)‐based artificial solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI) is anchored on Cu foam by sintering the Cu foam coated with LLZTO particles. The heat treatment leads to the interdiffusion of Cu and Ta₂O₅ at the Cu/LLZTO interface, through which LLZTO layer is fixed on Cu foam. 3D structure lowers the current density, and meanwhile the SEI reduces the contact of Li and electrolyte. Furthermore, the anchoring construction can endure Li‐deposition‐induced volume change. Therefore, LLZTO‐modified Cu foam shows much improved Li plating/stripping performance, including long lifespan (2400 h), high rate (maximum current density of 20 mA cm^?2), high areal capacity (8 mA h cm^?2 for 100 cycles), and high efficiency (over 98 %).     

Towards a Safe Lithium–Sulfur Battery with a Flame‐Inhibiting Electrolyte and a Sulfur‐Based Composite Cathode

Of the various beyond‐lithium‐ion batteries, lithium–sulfur (Li‐S) batteries were recently reported as possibly being the closest to market. However, its theoretically high energy density makes it potentially hazardous under conditions of abuse. Therefore, addressing the safety issues of Li‐S cells is necessary before they can be used in practical applications. Here, we report a concept to build a safe and highly efficient Li‐S battery with a flame‐inhibiting electrolyte and a sulfur‐based composite cathode. The flame retardant not only makes the carbonates nonflammable but also dramatically enhances the electrochemical performance of the sulfur‐based composite cathode, without an apparent capacity decline over 750 cycles, and with a capacity greater than 800 mA h^?1 g^?1(sulfur) at a rate of 10 C.     

Li-MOF-based ions regulator enabling fast-charging and dendrite-free lithium metal anode

Li metal has been regarded as the holy grail for the next-generation Li-ion battery. Li dendrites issues, however, impede its practical application. In general, prolonging the sand time of Li nucleation and regulating homogeneous Li⁺ flux are effective approaches to suppress the dendrites formation and growth. Regarding this view, a functional polypropylene (PP) separator is developed to regulate ion transportation via a newly designed Li-based metal-organic framework (Li-MOF) coating. The Li-MOF crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group P212121 and features a double-walled three-dimensional (3D) structure with 1D channels. The well-defined intrinsic nanochannels of Li-MOF and the steric-hinerance effect both restrict free migration of anions, contributing to a high Li⁺ transference number of 0.65, which improve the Sand time of Li nucleation. Meanwhile, the Li-MOF coating with uniform porous structure promotes homogeneous Li⁺ flux at the surface of Li metal. Furthermore, the Li-MOF coating layer helps to build solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer that comprises of inorganic LiF and Li₃N, which further prohibits the dendrites growth. Consequently, a highly stable Li plating/stripping cycling for over 1000 h is achieved. The functional separator also enables high-performance full lithium metal cells, the high-rate and long-stable cycling performance of LiNi_0.8Mn_0.1Co_0.1 (NMC811)-Li and LiCoO₂ (LCO)-Li cells further demonstrate the feasibility of this concept.     

A Radical Pathway and Stabilized Li Anode Enabled by Halide Quaternary Ammonium Electrolyte Additives for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Passivation of the sulfur cathode by insulating lithium sulfide restricts the reversibility and sulfur utilization of Li−S batteries. 3D nucleation of Li₂S enabled by radical conversion may significantly boost the redox kinetics. Electrolytes with high donor number (DN) solvents allow for tri-sulfur (S₃⋅⁻) radicals as intermediates, however, the catastrophic reactivity of such solvents with Li anodes pose a great challenge for their practical application. Here, we propose the use of quaternary ammonium salts as electrolyte additives, which can preserve the partial high-DN characteristics that trigger the S₃⋅⁻ radical pathway, and inhibit the growth of Li dendrites. Li−S batteries with tetrapropylammonium bromide (T3Br) electrolyte additive deliver the outstanding cycling stability (700 cycles at 1 C with a low-capacity decay rate of 0.049 % per cycle), and high capacity under a lean electrolyte of 5 μL_electrolyte mg_sulfur⁻¹. This work opens a new avenue for the development of electrolyte additives for Li−S batteries.     

中空碳双面修饰的隔膜在高性能锂硫电池中的应用

为减少多硫化锂(LIPs) “穿梭效应” 及锂枝晶对锂硫电池的影响,采用刮涂法制备中空碳材料修饰隔膜。接触角测试表明修饰隔膜对 LIPs具有更强的吸引力, 其对 LIPs “穿梭” 的有效抑制也可以通过渗透性实验进一步得到印证。在隔膜的正极对称电池测试中, 电流响应显示中空碳材料的催化使 LIPs快速转化为Li₂S。通过隔膜的负极对称电池测试发现修饰隔膜呈现出更稳定的电压-时间曲线。为证明隔膜修饰对锂硫电池性能改进的效果, 分别采用聚丙烯(PP)隔膜、单面改性和双面改性的 PP隔膜组装成纽扣电池并进行电化学测试, 其中电极材料的硫负载量为 1.8~2.0 mg·cm^-2。GITT(恒电流间歇滴定法)测试和锂离子扩散系数计算表明, 改性隔膜的离子传输更快且阻抗较小。通过分析第 1、5、10、50及 100次的充放电循环阻抗谱图发现, 中空碳材料的多通道能够为锂离子的传输提供更多的通道, 因此能够使锂离子具有更加稳定的扩散行为。在电流密度为 0.2 C时, 由双面改性隔膜组装的锂硫电池在首次充放电时有 1 035 mAh·g^-1的可逆比容量, 700圈后仍有 500 mAh·g^-1的高比容量,并在高硫负载时表现出 500 mAh·g^-1的可逆比容量。双面修饰隔膜赋予了锂硫电池优异的电化学性能, 这是由于中空碳材料的修饰加速了 LIPs的转化和吸附, 有效缓解了 LIPs的穿梭效应, 且对锂枝晶有很好的抑制作用, 提高了锂硫电池的安全性。     

Graphene-Enabled Electric-Field Regulation and Ionic Redistribution Around Lithiophilic Aurum Nanoparticles Toward a Dendrite-Free and 2000-Cycle-Life Lithium Metal Battery

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) have attracted extensive attention owing to their high energy density. However, the uncontrolled volume changes and serious dendrite growth of the Li metal anode have hindered their commercialization. Herein, a three-dimensional Cu foam decorated with Au nanoparticles and conformal graphene layer was designed to tune the Li plating/stripping behaviors. The 3D−Cu conductive host anchored by lithiophilic Au nanoparticles can effectively alleviate the volume expansion caused by the continuous plating/stripping of Li and reduce the nucleation energy barrier. Notably, the conductive graphene not only facilitates the transfer of electrons, but also acts as an ionic rectifier, thereby avoiding the aggregation of local current density and Li⁺ ions around Au nanoparticles and enabling the uniform Li⁺ flux. As a result, the G−Au@3D−Cu/Li anode ensures the non-dendritic and homogeneous Li⁺ plating/stripping. Electrochemical results show that the symmetric G−Au@3D−Cu/Li cell delivers a low voltage hysteresis of 110 mV after 1000 h at 1 mA cm⁻². Matched with a layered LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂ cathode, the NCM622||G−Au@3D−Cu/Li full cell exhibits a long cycle life of 2000 cycles and an ultra-low capacity decay rate (0.01 % per cycle).