High-performance lithium battery driven by hybrid lithium storage mechanism in 3D architectured carbonized eggshell membrane anode

Abstract The increasing demand for large-capacity lithium batteries requires new anode materials satisfying both high capacity and long-life cycles. Here, a free-standing, binder-free, and environmentally friendly carbonized eggshell membrane (CEM) anode with a highly conductive interwoven network is presented for the use in high-performance lithium batteries. Highly porous and naturally doped nitrogen in CEM structure enables a unique hybrid Li storage mechanism where the effective insertion of Li ions and highly uniform Li metal deposition occur without Li dendrites formation. By employing a three-dimensionally architectured CEM anode, an areal capacity as high as 10 mA h cm−2 (357.2 A h L−1 in volumetric capacity) is achieved with an average Coulombic efficiency of 97.6% over 1300 h. The CEM anode also exhibits high Li-ion diffusivity, stable voltage hysteresis, and excellent cycling performance even after 1000 cycles at 0.5C, making it an environmentally sustainable electrode material for high-performance Li-ion batteries.