Lithiophilic Sites in Doped Graphene Guide Uniform Lithium Nucleation for Dendrite‐Free Lithium Metal Anodes

Lithium (Li) metal is the most promising electrode for next-generation rechargeable batteries. However, the challenges induced by Li dendrites on a working Li metal anode hinder the practical applications of Li metal batteries. Herein, nitrogen (N) doped graphene was adopted as the Li plating matrix to regulate Li metal nucleation and suppress dendrite growth. The N-containing functional groups, such as pyridinic and pyrrolic nitrogen in the N-doped graphene, are lithiophilic, which guide the metallic Li nucleation causing the metal to distribute uniformly on the anode surface. As a result, the N-doped graphene modified Li metal anode exhibits a dendrite-free morphology during repeated Li plating and…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Award: 21422604, 21676160, and 21276141
• TU
  Tsinghua University
• TN
  Tsinghua National Laboratory for Information Science and Technology
• TI
  Tsinghua Initiative Scientific Research Program
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China