3D-Printed Carbon Scaffold for Structural Lithium Metal Batteries

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Electric vehicles (EVs) are key to reducing transportation carbon emissions.
• Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are critical for EV technology due to their high capacity and low weight.
• Structural LIBs integrated into vehicle design can overcome range and weight limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate 3D-carbon (3D-C) lattices as scaffolds for lithium metal anodes in structural LIBs.
• To assess the mechanical stability and electrochemical performance of these 3D-C scaffolds.

Main Methods:

• 3D-carbon lattices were fabricated using stereolithography-type 3D printing followed by carbonization.
• Mechanical stability was tested to determine maximum stress tolerance.
• Symmetric cell tests were conducted to evaluate cycling stability and overpotential compared to bare copper foil.

Main Results:

• The 3D-C lattice demonstrated excellent mechanical stability, withstanding a maximum stress of 5.15 ± 0.15 MPa.
• 3D-C scaffolds exhibited superior cycling stability compared to bare copper foil.
• A low overpotential (≈0.075 V) was maintained over 100 cycles with 3D-C scaffolds, while bare copper showed unstable overpotential (0.74 V at 96 cycles).
• The 3D-C lattice structure effectively confined lithium metal deposits, preventing short circuits.

Conclusions:

• 3D-carbon lattices are ideal candidates for structural battery electrodes due to their mechanical strength and electrochemical performance.
• These scaffolds significantly improve the cycling stability and safety of lithium metal anodes in structural LIBs.
• The developed 3D-C scaffolds offer a promising solution for advancing energy storage in electric vehicles.