Synergistic Improvement of Rate Capability and Lifespan for Lithium-Ion Batteries via Low-Tortuosity Graphite Anode

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used in large-scale energy storage. Graphite anodes are pivotal for commercial LIBs, yet lithium plating remains a critical bottleneck, especially in thick electrodes (≥3 mAh cm^-2). Due to lithium plating, there is a trade-off between rate capability and lifespan, making it challenging to improve both simultaneously. Here, a low-tortuosity graphite anode (Gr-LT) is proposed to address this challenge. The vertically aligned channels in the Gr-LT electrode reduce the tortuosity from 3.82 (conventional Gr-HT) to 1.67, effectively mitigating concentration polarization and lithium plating. Quantitative analysis reveals a 91% reduction in plated lithium content for Gr-LT electrode after 600 cycles. When paired with a LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂ cathode, the Gr-LT full cell achieves unprecedented cyclability: 77.6% retention after 5500 cycles at 2C, far surpassing Gr-HT counterparts. This work demonstrates that the architectural optimization of graphite electrodes is an effective strategy for unlocking long lifespan LIBs with higher rate capability for sustainable energy storage.