Natural wood as a lithium metal host†

Abstract

Lithium metal stands out as an advanced anode material for next-generation rechargeable high-energy-density batteries. Nevertheless, the non-uniform behavior of Li plating/stripping causes severe dendrite growth and volume expansion, inducing rapid lifespan decay and even safety hazards. Introducing a Li host with a three-dimensional (3D) structure and interconnecting pores has been proven effective for solving these issues. In this contribution, natural wood, which possesses an exquisite 3D interconnected hierarchical porous structure, is employed as a Li host. The wood host facilitates homogenization of the electric field intensity near the Li anode, thereby regulating the homogeneity during Li plating/stripping. As demonstrated in Li|Cu half cells, the wood host enables 66 cycles with a coulombic efficiency retention of 80%, surpassing the mere 25 cycles achievable without the host. Furthermore, the wood/Li composite anode exhibits reduced polarizations and extended cycling lifespans in both Li|LFP and Li|S full coin cells. Leveraging the unique characteristics of the natural wood structure, an all-wood-based Li|S full coin cell is also assembled. This study not only illuminates the promise of wood as a material for optimizing Li anode performance, but also offers valuable insights for the design of structures for materials used in rechargeable batteries.