Spatially confined lithium storage for stable metal anodes enabled by a conversion-derived interphase

초록

Lithium metal anodes are limited by surface-dominated, localized lithium plating driven by interfacial heterogeneity, which leads to dendrite formation and hinders stable lithium storage. Here, this study demonstrates that lithium plating can be transformed into a stable, reversible storage mechanism by spatially controlling lithium deposition. Carbon nanotube aerofilm decorated with quantum-sized β-FeOOH forms a conversion-derived interphase that reconstructs into Fe/Li-O-rich interphases during cycling. This interface provides lithiophilic nucleation sites, continuous electron pathways, and uniform current distribution that favor lithium deposition within the internal porous framework. Multi-scale characterization directly confirms that lithium is spatially confined within the structure rather than accumulating on the surface. The resulting plating-conversion mechanism enables progressive, reversible lithium storage, sustaining stable cycling for over 10,000 cycles at a high rate of 20 A g−1. The potential for application in various systems is supported through demonstrations using symmetric cells, LiFePO4 full cells, and lithium hybrid capacitors. These findings establish spatial control of lithium stores as a viable strategy for realizing stable lithium metal anodes. © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

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