Highly efficient lithium utilization in lithium metal full-cell by simulated missile guidance and confinement systems

Abstract

The efficient utilization of metallic lithium (Li) is the key to enable application of Li metal full-cell with low amount of excess Li, contributing to higher safety and energy density. Herein, we report an extraordinary Li metal full-cell with only 20% excess Li, which demonstrated significantly improved reversibility and high Coulombic efficiency. Ingenious simulated missile guidance and confinement system (SMGCS) was designed to guide and confine Li deposition through constructing compatible silver lithiophilic sites and nitrate layer. Silver sites act as effective Li nuclei to attract Li ions and direct the initial nucleation. The generated nitrate layer affords an interfacial environment favorable for confined and uniform deep Li deposition, which is theoretically verified by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The two combined merits offer a robust and dendrite-free Li deposition, enabling the application of Li metal full-cell with slight excess Li. They also result in an outperformed Li cycling efficiency of ca. 99% for over 300 cycles along with deep cycling at a high capacity of 10 mA h cm−2 in carbonate electrolytes. The unprecedented high degree of Li utilization opens a new avenue for the future development of highly efficient Li metal full cells.