Nitrogen Ion Implantation-Modified Cu Substrate for Stable Lithium Metal Anode

Abstract

As the only commercialized negative current collector, copper (Cu) foil possesses insurmountable applicational advantages as a lithium metal anode (LMA) substrate. However, the successful usage of Cu foil is limited by the poor Li affinity and crystal face variation, which will lead to severe lithium dendrite growth and poor cyclability. Herein, an industrial-popular ion implantation technique is first adopted for Cu surface modification. With the high-energy implantations of N+ plasma, the unique N-rich transition interface can be formed, among which the lithiophilic Cu x N y with extended crystal domains can have uniform Cu crystal faces and offer benefit for Li nucleation/deposition; besides, the induced Li3N-rich SEI with high ionic conductivity can support Li-ion transport kinetics, suppress Li dendrite growth, and mitigate the side reaction to improve LMA stability. Consequently, a uniform Li nucleation/deposition is achieved, with obviously enhanced cycling stability and rate capability for the full cells. This technological maturity ion implantation method can be readily extended to any non/metallic ion species, or joint implantation of bi/multiple ions, and other substrates, demonstrating a possible route to surmount the metal anode challenges.

Co/Li2S of chemical confinement decorated electrochemically stable Co(OH)F nanoarrays enabling dendrite-free flexible 3D Li anodes

“…19,20 Among the strategies, fabricating a 3D Li metal anode can provide a large space to lower local current density and accommodate Li deposition, thereby decreasing the probability of Li dendrite formation. 21–23 Therefore, this strategy has great application potential, whereas the commonly used 3D skeletons are mostly lithiophobic, such as Ni foam, 24 Cu foam, 25 carbon nanotubes, 26 and carbon cloth (CC). 17,27 Introducing lithiophilic nanoarrays, including nanospheres, nanowires, and nanorods, onto the surface of a 3D skeleton is often performed to provide a larger surface area and physical space as well as to improve their lithiophilicity.…”