Review-Lithium Carbon Composite Material for Practical Lithium Metal Batteries

Lithium (Li) metal is considered ideal for high-energy-density batteries due to its extremely high specific capacity and low electrochemical potential. However, uncontrolled Li dendrite growth and interfacial instability during repeated Li plating/stripping have limited the practical applicability of Li metal batteries (LMBs). Over the past decades, substantial efforts have been devoted to solving the challenges associated with Li metal anodes. Our research team has developed several Li-carbon (Li-C) microsphere composites in recent years to suppress the formation of Li dendrites and achieve a decent cycle life. In this account, we summarize our advances in the design and application of Li-C composites, which include the developments in the structure and chemical composition of high-specific-capacity Li-C composites, strategies for surface passivation of the micro-spherical Li-C composites, and applications of the Li-C composite in next-generation high-energy-density Li-ion, Li-air, and solid-state LMBs. Finally, we discuss future perspectives for developing high-performance Li metal anodes and endeavors to realize the practical applications of LMBs.

Automated summary

Lithium (Li) metal is considered ideal for high-energy-density batteries but its practical applicability is limited due to uncontrolled Li dendrite growth and interfacial instability. Our research team has developed Li-carbon (Li-C) microsphere composites to suppress Li dendrites and achieve a decent cycle life. This article summarizes advances in the design and application of Li-C composites, including developments in structure and composition, strategies for surface passivation, and applications in high-energy-density Li-ion, Li-air, and solid-state batteries.