Laminated Aluminum Foil Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Aluminum (Al) is a highly promising material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) anodes due to its high specific capacity, excellent electrical conductivity, and low cost. However, its practical application is hindered by significant volume changes during cycling, which cause electrode crushing and numerous penetration cracks. In this study, we design a laminated Al foil and incorporated it into lithium–aluminum (Li//Al) half-cells, which retain a long cyclic stability of 300 cycles at a current density of 1 mA cm^–2 and an areal capacity of 1 mA h cm^–2. The laminated Al foil exhibits denser grain boundaries, leading to enhanced lithiation uniformity. Additionally, the laminated structure effectively alleviates stress concentration during lithiation and delithiation, diverting major cracks into smaller, multidirectional ones. This structural improvement significantly enhances the stability of the Al foil anode during cycling. The findings offer valuable insights for optimizing metal foil anode designs, which could contribute to advancements in LIBs technology, particularly in improving specific energy.