Immunizing lithium metal anodes against dendrite growth using protein molecules to achieve high energy batteries

Tianyi Wang, Yanbin Li, Jinqiang Zhang, Kang Yan, Pauline Jaumaux, Jian Yang, Chengyin Wang, Devaraj Shanmukaraj, Bing Sun (), Michel Armand (), Yi Cui () and Guoxiu Wang ()
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Tianyi Wang: University of Technology Sydney, Broadway
Yanbin Li: Stanford University
Jinqiang Zhang: University of Technology Sydney, Broadway
Kang Yan: University of Technology Sydney, Broadway
Pauline Jaumaux: University of Technology Sydney, Broadway
Jian Yang: Yangzhou University
Chengyin Wang: Yangzhou University
Devaraj Shanmukaraj: Centre for Cooperative Research on Alternative Energies (CIC energiGUNE)
Bing Sun: University of Technology Sydney, Broadway
Michel Armand: Centre for Cooperative Research on Alternative Energies (CIC energiGUNE)
Yi Cui: Stanford University
Guoxiu Wang: University of Technology Sydney, Broadway

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The practical applications of lithium metal anodes in high-energy-density lithium metal batteries have been hindered by their formation and growth of lithium dendrites. Herein, we discover that certain protein could efficiently prevent and eliminate the growth of wispy lithium dendrites, leading to long cycle life and high Coulombic efficiency of lithium metal anodes. We contend that the protein molecules function as a “self-defense” agent, mitigating the formation of lithium embryos, thus mimicking natural, pathological immunization mechanisms. When added into the electrolyte, protein molecules are automatically adsorbed on the surface of lithium metal anodes, particularly on the tips of lithium buds, through spatial conformation and secondary structure transformation from α-helix to β-sheets. This effectively changes the electric field distribution around the tips of lithium buds and results in homogeneous plating and stripping of lithium metal anodes. Furthermore, we develop a slow sustained-release strategy to overcome the limited dispersibility of protein in the ether-based electrolyte and achieve a remarkably enhanced cycling performance of more than 2000 cycles for lithium metal batteries.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19246-2

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