The lithium-ion battery market continues to expand, underscoring the need to lift the capacity and energy density of lithium-ion batteries. This situation has focused attention on lithium metal anode because of their high theoretical capacity and low redox potential.
This anode has not seen practical use, however, as lithium dendrites form on lithium metal surfaces during charging, penetrating separators and causing short circuits that deteriorate safety.
Lithium dendrites form along the pores of microporous film. Eliminating separator pores can stop such growth, but the downside is greatly reduced lithium-ion permeability. It is essential to suppress dendrites while maintaining ion conductivity.