Functional Laminated Fiber Scaffold Based on Titanium Monoxide for Lithium Metal-Based Batteries

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Lithium metal batteries offer high energy density but suffer from dendrite growth, causing safety hazards and performance degradation.
• Dendrite formation leads to short circuits, material depletion, and electrolyte breakdown in lithium metal batteries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a functionalized and laminated scaffold to inhibit lithium dendrite growth in lithium metal-based rechargeable batteries.
• To enhance the stability and safety of lithium metal anodes through a novel scaffold architecture.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a freestanding scaffold using PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) and TiO@C (titanium monoxide coated with carbon) fibers.
• Utilizing a laminated structure with a lithiophilic bottom layer (TiO@C) and a lithiophobic top layer (PVDF).
• Electrochemical testing of the scaffold in symmetrical cells and full cells (Li || LFP and Li-S batteries).

Main Results:

• The PVDF/TiO@C fiber scaffold effectively suppressed lithium dendrite growth.
• Stable lithium plating/stripping was achieved, enabling over 1000 hours of operation in a symmetrical cell at 1 mA cm⁻².
• Superior electrochemical performance was demonstrated in both lithium iron phosphate (Li || LFP) and lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries.

Conclusions:

• The functional laminated fiber scaffold design is crucial for achieving high-performance lithium metal anodes.
• This approach provides a promising strategy for developing safer and more efficient lithium metal rechargeable batteries.