Effects of Interfacial Solvation Structures on the Morphological Stability of Potassium Metal Anodes Revealed by Operando Diagnosis

BY Ma and P Sittisomwong and JY Ma and P Bai, ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS, 5, 7124-7133 (2022).

DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.2c00716

Rechargeable potassium (K) metal batteries have been considered promising candidates for low-cost energy storage. However, they suffer from severe side reactions and the poor morphological stability of the metal anode that jeopardize cell safety and cycle life. Here, we report a whisker-free nonporous K metal anode with superior morphological stability that can self-modulate into ingot-type deposits on a standard current collector. Comparative investigations confirm the importance of interfacial solvation structures in achieving the ideal morphological stability and facile charge transfer kinetics. Further operando diagnosis revealed that the electrochemically refined K metal anode can enable stable K metal full-cell cycling.

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