Seed-Free Selective Deposition of Lithium Metal into Tough Graphene Framework for Stable Lithium Metal Anode

Graphene has been wildly used as a host to suppress dendrite growth to stabilize the lithium metal anode. However, the high overpotential of lithium deposition on pure graphene has to be lowered by doping or employing precious metals. Additionally, the soft nature of graphene rendered itself to aggregate, consequently squeezing room for lithium accommodation. Herein, a tough graphene framework composed of 3D periodic hollow spheres was reported as a free-standing host to stabilize lithium metal anodes. The prepared 3D periodic hollow structure not merely reinforces the framework to maintain hollow structure under pressure caused by assembling battery, but also lowers the overpotential without the help of dopant or precious metals. It is worthy to note that high efficiency of ion diffusion, thanks to the channels interconnecting hollow spheres by holes on the walls, benefits both suppression of lithium dendrite and rate capability. The properties of low density and high mechanical strength make graphene frameworks electrode a promising lightweight Li host material, which reveals a new avenue for designing high-energy density electrode materials.