Lithiophilic Cu-Ag architectures with Li-Si alloys for stable lithium metal batteries

Lithium metal anodes hold the potential for high-energy-density batteries due to their substantial theoretical capacity, but their practical application is hindered by issues such as dendrite growth, poor cycling stability, and safety concerns. This study presents the development of a three-dimensional Li-Si composite alloy anode (Ag@Cu@Li-Si), combining a porous copper scaffold with a lithiophilic silver (Ag) layer and a lithium-silicon (Li-Si) alloy. The Ag@Cu@Li-Si composite demonstrates significant improvements in dendrite suppression, cycling stability, and electrochemical performance. The composite anode exhibits a critical current density of 15 mA cm⁻² and over 900 hours of stable operation at 1.0 mA cm⁻² in symmetric cells. When integrated into a full cell with a commercial LiFePO₄ cathode, it maintains excellent cycling stability, delivering over 600 cycles with a rate capability of 1.0 C. This study provides valuable insights into the design of lithium metal anodes, highlighting the importance of lithiophilic materials and 3D frameworks for high-performance lithium-metal batteries.