The increasing demands for efficient and clean energy-storage systems have spurred the development of Li metal batteries, which possess attractively high energy densities. For practical application of Li metal batteries, it is vital to resolve the intrinsic problems of Li metal anodes, i.e., the formation of Li dendrites, interfacial instability, and huge volume changes during cycling. Utilization of solid-state electrolytes for Li metal anodes is a promising approach to address those issues. In this study, we use a 3D garnet-type ion-conductive framework as a host for the Li metal anode and study the plating and stripping behaviors of the Li metal anode within the solid ion-conductive host. We show that with a solid-state ion-conductive framework and a planar current collector at the bottom, Li is plated from the bottom and rises during deposition, away from the separator layer and free from electrolyte penetration and short circuit. Owing to the solid-state deposition property, Li grows smoothly in the pores of the garnet host without forming Li dendrites. The dendrite-free deposition and continuous rise/fall of Li metal during plating/stripping in the 3D ion-conductive host promise a safe and durable Li metal anode. The solid-state Li anode shows stable cycling at 0.5 mA cm−2 for 300 h with a small overpotential, showing a significant improvement compared with reported Li anodes with ceramic electrolytes. By fundamentally eliminating the dendrite issue, the solid Li metal anode shows a great potential to build safe and reliable Li metal batteries.
Dendrite formation in Li-metal anodes: an atomistic molecular dynamics study