Lithiophilic Ti₃C₂T_x-Modified Cu Foam by Electrophoretic Deposition for Dendrite-Free Lithium Metal Anodes

Lithium metal is widely considered as anodes in secondary batteries because of its high energy density (3860 mAh g–1). However, the practical application is limited by dendrite growth. Herein, three-dimensional (3D) Ti3C2Tx@Cu current collectors were prepared to inhibit the formation of Li dendrites by electrophoretic deposition. The 3D structures can not only reduce the average current density effectively but also relieve volume expansion, in which Ti3C2Tx nanosheets act as lithiophilic nuclear agents to achieve uniform deposition and a dendrite-free structure, leading to a reduced nucleation overpotential and increased Li nucleation sites. The homogeneous surface of the Li-Ti3C2Tx@Cu anode can still be maintained after a long plating/stripping process. The Li-Ti3C2Tx@Cu symmetrical cells exhibited ultrastable cycling for about 950 h at a current density of 1 mA cm–2 and an areal capacity of 1 mAh cm–2. Impressively, compared with the Li–Cu anode, the performance of the Li-Ti3C2Tx@Cu||LiFePO4 full cells was improved obviously. This work provides an effective strategy to fabricate a kind of anode toward uniform deposition for long-life lithium metal batteries.