Open AccessA Fiber‐Based 3D Lithium Host for Lean Electrolyte Lithium Metal Batteries
Author(s) -
Yu Sicen,
Wu Zhaohui,
Holoubek John,
Liu Haodong,
Hopkins Emma,
Xiao Yuxuan,
Xing Xing,
Lee Myeong Hwan,
Liu Ping
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
advanced science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.388
H-Index - 100
ISSN - 2198-3844
DOI - 10.1002/advs.202104829
Subject(s) - electrolyte , materials science , anode , lithium nitrate , lithium (medication) , faraday efficiency , chemical engineering , cathode , fiber , porosity , slurry , composite material , chemistry , electrode , ion , ionic bonding , medicine , organic chemistry , engineering , endocrinology
3D hosts are promising to extend the cycle life of lithium metal anodes but have rarely been implemented with lean electrolytes thus impacting the practical cell energy density. To overcome this challenge, a 3D host that is lightweight and easy to fabricate with optimum pore size that enables full utilization of its pore volume, essential for lean electrolyte operations, is reported. The host is fabricated by casting a VGCF (vapor‐grown carbon fiber)‐based slurry loaded with a sparingly soluble rubidium nitrate salt as an additive. The network of fibers generates uniform pores of ≈3 µm in diameter with a porosity of 80%, while the nitrate additive enhances lithiophilicity. This 3D host delivers an average coulombic efficiency of 99.36% at 1 mA cm −2 and 1 mAh cm −2 for over 860 cycles in half‐cell tests. Full cells containing an anode with 1.35‐fold excess lithium paired with LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 (NMC811) cathodes exhibit capacity retention of 80% over 176 cycles at C/2 under a lean electrolyte condition of 3 g Ah −1 . This work provides a facile and scalable method to advance 3D lithium hosts closer to practical lithium‐metal batteries.