Electrolyte additive maintains high performance for dendrite-free lithium metal anode

Because of their high capacity and low potential, lithium metal anodes are considered to be promising candidates for next generation electrode materials. However, the safety concerns and limited cycling life associated with uncontrollable dendrite growth hamper practical applications. In this work, the acidified cellulose ester, which is a mixed fiber microporous membrane film, was used as a novel electrolyte additive that effectively improves the cycle stability of the lithium metal anode and inhibits dendrite growth. The focus of this paper is on inhibiting the formation and growth of lithium dendrites. The coulombic efficiency of a Li vertical bar Cu battery with this acidified cellulose ester additive remains stable at 99% after 500 cycles under a current density of 1 mA/cm(2). Symmetric batteries also remain stable after 500 cycles (1000 h) under a current density of 1 mA/cm(2). These superior properties can be ascribed to the induced nucleation and the uniform distribution of lithium ion flux. This study uncovers an approach for effectively enabling stable cycling of dendrite-free lithium metal anodes. (C) 2019 Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.