Improving Li reversibility in Li metal batteries through uniform dispersion of Ag nanoparticles on graphene

Li metal is the most attractive and promising anode material for next-generation high-energy batteries. However, uncontrolled Li dendrite growth during cycling remains a highly challenging drawback. To solve this problem, silver-coated graphene (Ag/GH) was prepared via a simple liquid-phase reduction method. The effect of Ag/GH on Li deposition behavior was investigated by adjusting the dispersion of Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs). Subsequently, a composite electrode was fabricated via uniform deposition of metallic Li on Ag/GH. Ag was used as a lithiophilic nucleating agent to ensure uniform deposition of Li and inhibit the growth of Li dendrites on the anode. The prepared composite anode showed a significantly improved performance compared to the unmodified electrode. The symmetric cell comprising this composite electrode exhibited a stable cycling performance with a low hysteresis of ~ 40 mV and a lifetime of > 2000 h at a current density of 0.5 mA·cm⁻². Meanwhile, the discharge capacity reached 0.5 mAh·cm⁻². In addition, Ag/GH was found to be amenable to large-scale synthesis. Thus, the composite Ag/GH anode exhibited improved performance and the preparation method showed significant potential for application in the manufacture of Li metal batteries.