Growing cuprite nanoparticles on copper current collector toward uniform Li deposition for anode-free lithium batteries

One Li-ion battery configuration to achieve high energy density is the anode-free Li metal battery (AFLMB) constructed by eliminating negative active materials. However, the lithium metal deposition and stripping process on the negative electrode current collector is accompanied by the rapid loss of active lithium, limiting the practical application. Here, novel cuprite nanoparticles modified copper current collector (HCu) was synthesized via a facile one-step atmospheric heat treatment method. The decomposition of cuprite nanoparticles constructs stable electronic pathways and stable Li2O-rich SEI during lithium deposition, improving the uniformity and reversibility of lithium deposition. When served as the anode current collector for AFLMB, the prepared HCu can maintain an average CE of 99.24% within 100 cycles (capacity retention rate of 41%) at 0.5 C charge/discharge under a capacity of 3 mAh cm-2. Morphology characterization during lithium deposition combined with physics simulation demonstrated that HCu could regulate deposited lithium morphology to achieve uniform lithium deposition. This proposed strategy displays significant performance benefits, offering a novel pathway to modify the morphology and electron/ion transfer of anode current collector for AFLMB.