Research progress on graphene-based materials for high-performance lithium-metal batteries

Due to their relatively low energy density, commercial lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have faced difficulty in meeting the increasing requirements of energy storage devices for portable electronics and electric vehicles. Lithium (Li) with a high theoretical specific capacity (3,860 mAh g-1) and low density (0.59 g cm−3) is regarded as one of the best anodes for next-generation high energy density Li metal batteries, e.g., Li-S and Li-O2 batteries. However, the safety problems induced by uncontrollable Li dendrite growth and a low Coulombic efficiency caused by an unstable solid electrolyte interphase layer, have limited their practical application. Graphene-based materials (GBMs) with a high specific surface area and controllable structures and chemical properties, have been shown to be important in solving these problems. Various protection strategies for Li metal anodes using GBMs are summarized and the design of GBMs with different roles and functions in Li metal protection is discussed. Challenges and possible solutions for the future development of GBMs used in Li metal anodes are discussed.