In Situ Grown Li₂Te Enhanced Lithium Metal Anode Interfacial Kinetics

Lithium metal anode (LMA) is expected to be the ideal anode material for future high-energy-density batteries, but regulating the complex electrolyte-anode interface remains a challenge. In this work, a stable Li₂Te coating is formed on the surface of commercial copper mesh (LTCM) using a simple and quick method to improve lithium metal anode interfacial kinetics. Li₂Te possesses a strong affinity for both Li⁺ and TFSI^- anions, which reduces the lithium nucleation barrier and guides the formation of inorganic-rich SEI, accelerates the diffusion of Li⁺, and promotes the growth of lithium metal along the plane. The highly conductive Li₂Te and Cu generated by in situ lithiation reaction together constitute an effective electron-conducting network, which synergistically enhances the interfacial kinetics and the cycling stability of LMA. As a result, the LTCM maintains high Coulombic efficiency (98%) even after 2200 cycles at 1 mA cm^-2, whereas the symmetric cell has a long cycle life of over 5400 h at 1 mA cm^-2. In addition, the full cells with LFP display a high capacity retention ratio (80%) after 480 cycles at 1 C and the corresponding pouch cell can cycle steadily more than 464 cycles at 1 C, which has good application prospects.