Stable lithium metal batteries enabled by Al-Li/LiF composite artificial interfacial layer

Abstract

Lithium metal anode represents the ultimate solution for next-generation high-energy-density batteries but is plagued from commercialization by side reactions, substantial volume fluctuation, and the notorious growth of lithium dendrites. These hazardous issues are further aggravated under real-world conditions. In this study, a stable Al-Li/LiF artificial interphase with rapid ion transport pathways is created through a one-step chemical pretreatment process, effectively addressing these challenges simultaneously. As a consequence, the composite interfacial layer exhibits exceptional ionic conductivity, mechanical strength, and electrolyte wettability, ensuring swift Li⁺ transfer diffusion while suppressing lithium dendrite growth. Remarkably, the Al-Li/LiF symmetric cell provides a cycle life exceeding 2300 h with a low polarization at 0.5 mA·cm^–2. Furthermore, its enhanced cycling stability and capacity retention as well as capacity utilization stability pairing with LiFePO₄ and LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ cathodes, highlighting the proposed approach as a promising solution for practical Li metal batteries.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

lithium metal anode / artificial solid electrolyte interphase / dendrite growth / stability

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 22278308); Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Basic Research Cooperation Special Project (Grant No. B2024209048); the Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin, China (Grant No. 24JCZXJC00250); the Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province (Grant No. 242300421431) and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2022M712863).

Electronic Supplementary Material

Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11705-025-2539-0 and is accessible for authorized users.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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