A research team at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed a dynamic integrated interface engineering strategy that enhances the energy density and stability of anode-free lithium metal batteries by reconfiguring key battery interfaces. A pouch cell using the strategy achieved a specific energy of 467 Wh kg-1, comparable to conventional commercial batteries. A full coin cell retained 90% of its capacity after 200 cycles. The study opens a new pathway towards lighter and longer-lasting next-generation batteries.
The study was led by Prof. SHAO Minhua, Cheong Ying Chan Professor of Energy Engineering and Environment and Head and Chair Professor of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE) at HKUST. Other team members, all from Prof. Shao’s research group in the CBE Department, include postdoctoral fellows Dr. CHEN Yunyi (first author) and Dr. LU Siqi, former postdoctoral fellow Dr. QIAN Xitang, 2026 PhD graduate Dr. LYU Yuxiang, and current PhD students QIU Yican, ZHOU Siyu and LAN Xinyi. This research was recently published in Nature Communications under the title “Highly stable quasi-solid-state initially-anode-free lithium metal batteries enabled by dynamic integrated interface engineering“.
Lithium metal is regarded as a promising material for next-generation batteries because of its high theoretical specific capacity and low reduction potential. Anode-free cells use a bare copper (Cu) current collector instead of a lithium metal anode, maximizing energy density and simplifying manufacturing. However, conventional Cu is lithiophobic, which causes uneven lithium deposition and dendrite growth. The Solid Electrolyte Interphase (SEI) that forms naturally is unstable, limiting cycling performance and battery life.
To address these challenges, the team introduced an AMI additive, which consists of silver ions paired with anions. AMI triggers multiple synergistic functions inside the battery: improving lithiophilicity and preventing the generation of dendrites; the Ag-modified surface anchors anion-derived species, leading to an SEI with an organic-rich inner layer (OI) and an inorganic-rich outer layer (IO); the released anions trigger polymerization of the electrolyte, forming a quasi-solid OI-IO SEI gel that improves interfacial contact. This enables fast lithium-ion transport, significantly enhances battery stability, and further helps to inhibit dendrite growth to ensure safety.
Prof. Shao, corresponding author of the study, said “The key is not simply adding a silver salt or a polymerization initiator. Our AMI releases multiple functions through a controlled process after cell assembly, allowing us to modify the current collector, build an anion-derived solvation structure, and form a robust organic-inner/inorganic-outer SEI in one integrated process. This makes lithium plating and stripping highly reversible in an anode-free, quasi-solid-state configuration, laying a stronger foundation for the development of next-generation batteries.”
