Silver Nanoparticle-Doped 3D Porous Carbon Nanofibers as Separator Coating for Stable Lithium Metal Anodes

The ever-increasing demand for electric devices and vehicles prompts the fast development of energy storage systems. Lithium metal is thought to be the most promising electrode for high-performance batteries. However, the growth of lithium dendrites impedes the industrial production of lithium metal batteries. Herein, an effective approach is proposed by coating a commercial separator with three-dimensional porous carbon fibers loaded with silver nanoparticles (Ag-PCNFs), which can be regarded as a subsidiary of the electrode to improve the cycling performance of lithium metal batteries. The porous structure with a high specific surface area endows the electrode with a high lithium-loading capacity. The silver nanoparticles provide the electrode pro-Li property and excellent electrical conductivity, which are beneficial for the electrochemical reaction and reduce the local current density to attain a dendrite-free electrode. Electrochemical cycling performance of symmetric Li–Li batteries shows that Ag-PCNF coating can hinder dendrite growth and enhance the cycling stability, indicating that Ag-PCNFs acting as host materials can effectively guide the deposition of Li and solve the dendrite problem.