Lithiated NiCo2O4 Nanorods Anchored on 3D Nickel Foam Enable Homogeneous Li Plating/Stripping for High-Power Dendrite-Free Lithium Metal Anode

Lithium (Li) metal is one of the promising anode materials in the next-generation high-energy batteries, but Li dendrite growth and a big volume change during cycling result in low Coulombic efficiency (CE), short lifespan, and safety hazards, thereby impeding practical implementation of Li in rechargeable batteries. Herein, we report a highly stable and dendrite-free Li metal anode based on a three-dimensional (3D) conductive and lithiophilic scaffold comprising lithiated NiCo2O4 nanorods grown on nickel foam (LNCO/Ni). The nanorods grown on 3D Ni foam with a large surface area effectively reduce the averaged electrical current in the electrode, and the conformal Li2O coating produced in situ on the lithiated NiCo2O4 nanorods provides the surface lithiophilicity enabling stable Li plating/stripping without Li dendrite growth even at a high current density of 5 mA cm–2. The LNCO/Ni–Li anode shows a low voltage hysteresis of 16 mV, high CE of 98.7%, and stable cycling without obvious voltage fluctuation fo...