Oxygen-Vacancy-Engineered Biomimetic Interphase for Dendrite-Free Lithium-Metal Anodes

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Battery Technology

Background:

• Commercialization of lithium-metal batteries (LMBs) is limited by lithium dendrite formation and unstable interfaces.
• These issues compromise battery safety and cycle life, hindering practical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a biomimetic artificial solid electrolyte interphase for stable lithium deposition and dendrite suppression in LMBs.
• To enhance interfacial stability and lithium-ion transport kinetics for high-performance LMBs.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a patterned Li_0.33La_0.56TiO₃ (PL) nanofiber membrane via electrospinning and calcination.
• In situ reduction to create oxygen vacancies in the PL lattice, forming black PL (BPL) for improved Li⁺ kinetics.
• Assembly and testing of BPL@Li symmetric cells and BPL@Li||LiFePO₄ full cells.

Main Results:

• The patterned PL membrane architecture homogenizes Li⁺ flux and regulates current density, enabling uniform Li deposition and suppressing dendrites.
• Oxygen vacancies in BPL significantly enhance Li⁺ transport kinetics by reducing migration energy barriers.
• BPL@Li symmetric cells achieved over 1400 h of stable cycling.
• BPL@Li||LiFePO₄ full cells retained 85% capacity after 200 cycles at 1 C.

Conclusions:

• The developed biomimetic artificial solid electrolyte interphase effectively addresses dendrite growth and interfacial instability in LMBs.
• This strategy offers a scalable and multifunctional approach for engineering interfaces in high-performance lithium-metal batteries.
• The findings contribute to advancing the development of safer and more durable next-generation batteries.