A multifunctional Cu6Sn5 interface layer for dendritic-free lithium metal anode

Abstract The unstable electrode/electrolyte interface of the lithium metal anode is one of the reasons that induce the formation of lithium (Li) dendrites. The Li dendrites will reduce the coulombic efficiency, and even pierce the separator to cause the safety problems. Herein, a tightly bonded and uniformly distributed Cu6Sn5 interface layer is formed on the surface of the Cu foam by a simple electroless plating method. The composite layer has multiple functions, such as high lithiophilicity, high carrier transport and high adaptability to mechanical strain. Based on the versatility of the Cu6Sn5 interface layer, the cycle life of Cu foam is increased from 150 h to 1000 h, and the deposition overpotential is as low as 18 mV. In-situ online observation proves that the existence of composite layer can make Li metal uniformly deposited to avoid the dendrites. Furthermore, Cu6Sn5@Cu foam also shows a higher capacity retention rate (increased from 65.2% to 78.6% after 300 cycles) and a more stable rate performance when it is used in full batteries. Compared with the single function improvement strategy proposed by the current lithium metal anode research. The Cu6Sn5 multifunctional composite layer modification method in this work provides a new strategy for constructing a stable electrode/electrolyte interface.