Dual-Regulation of Ion/Electron in 3D Cu-CuxO host to Guide Uniform Lithium Growth for High-Performance Lithium Metal Anodes

Three-dimensional (3D) current collectors have shown great potential in realizing practical Li metal anodes for next-generation high-energy battery systems. However, 3D current collectors suffer from a common phenomenon of preferential Li accumulation on the top surface due to lack of regulation to Li-ion transport. This study achieves dual-regulation of ion/electron in 3D Cu-CuxO host by porous CuxO nanowires vertically aligned on the skeleton of commercial-available Cu foam, whereby Li is guided to nucleate and grow uniformly throughout the electrode rather than “top-surface” deposition. The porous CuxO nanowires not only contribute to uniform distribution of Li-ion flux, but also lead to uniform electron transport pathway. Moreover, the lithiophilic Cu-CuxO host can induce uniform Li deposition along the nanowires without growth of Li dendrites. As a result, the Cu-CuxO current collector displays ultrahigh coulombic efficiency (99.5% over 350 cycles), long lifespan (>1800h), and excellent rate performance, which enables a promising anode for rechargeable Li-based batteries.