Au-modified 3D carbon cloth as a dendrite-free framework for Li metal with excellent electrochemical stability

Abstract Li metal has been proven to increase the energy density of rechargeable Li batteries significantly. However, the growth of Li dendrites has hindered the practical application of Li metal. Herein, an Au modified carbon cloth (Au-CC) was prepared by a simple one-step hydrothermal method. Benefiting from the miscibility of Li and Au on the surface of skeleton, the Au-CC can regulate the uniform plating/stripping process of Li effectively and alleviate the formation of Li dendrites, leading to a superior electrochemical performance (near 100% CE for 200 cycles at 2 mA cm−2). The as-fabricated Au-CC/Li electrode delivers a ultralong lifespan of 1200 h with low voltage hysteresis at 1 mA cm−2 for 1 mAh cm−2 in symmetric cells. By assembling the full-cell batteries using LiFePO4 and Au-CC/Li as cathode and anode respectively, the capacity retention of 80.8% is achieved after 200 cycles at 3C.