Stretchable fiber-shaped lithium metal anode

Stretchable high energy storages are essential for wearable and stretchable electronic devices. Stretchable lithium (Li) metal batteries with Li as anode are better choices than Li ion batteries owing to their higher energy density, but remain challenge that Li anode is highly non-retractable. Herein, we propose a novel strategy to address this issue. We have developed a stretchable Li anode by infusing molten Li into the robust and flexible carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers modified with lithiophilic ZnO nanowire arrays. Interestingly, the Li anode integrates a three-dimensional structure of ZnO arrays and the admirable stretchability of CNT fibers. It empowers symmetric cells with an excellent cyclic stability under a strain of 100% and a dendrite-free morphology after repeated plating/stripping cycling. Most importantly, these performances are maintained when the resultant Li anode is matched with MoS2@CNT fibers. The present study demonstrates a promising pathway for the application of Li metal anode in stretchable Li metal-based batteries.