In-situ growth of Ag particles anchored Cu foam scaffold for dendrite-free lithium metal anode

Metallic lithium is considered to be the potential anode for high energy density rechargeable Li batteries. Yet the growth of lithium dendrites impedes the industrial production of lithium metal batteries. Herein, we fabricate a dendrite-suppressed composite Li metal anode via introducing Ag particles as lithiophilic layer on the 3D copper foam (Cu-Ag). The Li ion prefers deposit on the surface of Cu-Ag foam, which is beneficial to the better adsorption of the Cu-Ag hierarchical heterojunction structure by the first-principles calculations. The heterojunction structure can further reduce the nucleation overpotential and surface current density of the composite Cu-Ag-Li anode to realize the homogeneous Li distribution for stable Li deposited/stripped. Thus, the Cu-Ag-Li composite electrode (CAL) presents better electrochemical performance in the symmetric battery and excellent rate performance in the full cell with a greatly enhanced capacity retention of 83% after 500 cycles. This strategy presents a general approach to suppress the growth of lithium dendrites and regulate the volume changes for long-life span lithium metal batteries. An advanced lithiophilic Ag particle decorates on the surface of Cu foam by a facile chemical displacement reaction, which can possess a high reversible capacity retention and long-term cycles. [Display omitted] •An advanced lithiophilic Ag particles decorate Cu foam by a facile chemical displacement reaction.•The Cu-Ag heterojunction structure benefits to a uniform lithium nucleation and deposition in the confined space.•The composite Li electrode can cycle without dendrite growth or volume change.•The composite Li can match LiFePO4 cathodes.