Encapsulating Hollow Perovskite Fluorides in Atomic Mn-Embedded N-Doped Carbon Fibers for Anode-Less 5 V-Class Li...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Anode-less lithium metal batteries (ALLMBs) offer high energy density but suffer from dendrite growth and volume changes.
• Current collectors like copper add weight, reducing overall energy density in ALLMBs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a lightweight, 3D host material for ALLMBs that promotes uniform lithium deposition and enhances battery performance.
• To overcome the limitations of traditional current collectors and improve the stability and energy density of ALLMBs.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a 3D host comprising N-doped carbon macroporous fibers encapsulating Mn-N sites and hollow NaMg(Mn)F3 cubes (NMMF@Mn/N-CMFs).
• Characterization of the host material's structure and its performance in ALLMBs, including Coulombic efficiency and cycling stability.
• Assembly and testing of a 5V-class anode-less pouch cell with a LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 cathode.

Main Results:

• The NMMF@Mn/N-CMFs host demonstrated excellent lithiophilic properties, promoting uniform Li nucleation and growth.
• Achieved an average Coulombic efficiency of 98.9% over 1500 cycles at 5.0 mA cm-2.
• The assembled anode-less pouch cell exhibited 95.8% capacity retention over 120 cycles and a high energy density of 536 Wh kg-1.

Conclusions:

• The developed 3D lightweight host effectively suppresses dendrite growth and mitigates volume changes in ALLMBs.
• This material significantly enhances the cycling stability and energy density of anode-less lithium metal batteries.
• The NMMF@Mn/N-CMFs host represents a promising advancement for high-performance, lightweight energy storage solutions.