A Dual‐Layered Anode Buffer Layer Structure for All Solid‐State Batteries

Abstract

AbstractOver the past few decades, lithium‐ion batteries have garnered considerable attention, especially for their use in electric vehicles (EVs). In recent years, solid‐state batteries have become increasingly popular due to their excellent safety features and potential for high energy density. However, solid‐state batteries with lithium metal anodes present challenges in terms of electrochemical reactivity and cost. To address these challenges, alternative anode systems such as the “anode‐free” approach are being explored. In this study, we introduced a dual‐layered anode comprising a primary layer of physically vapor‐deposited zinc and a secondary layer of carbon black, focusing on investigating the influence of varying thicknesses of the lithiophilic zinc layer on cell cycling performance. Among the three different zinc thicknesses chosen for this purpose – categorized as thin (286 nm), medium (1.802 μm), and thick (6.519 μm) – the dual‐layered anode buffer layer was analyzed in a single‐layer full pouch cell. An in‐depth investigation into the lithium‐zinc alloying behavior was conducted through post‐mortem analysis. From the results, we found that the combination of the zinc layer with the carbon black layer improved cell cycling performance in terms of discharge capacity retention compared to a single layer of either zinc or carbon black. The cycling performance of this dual‐layered anode could be further enhanced by optimizing the zinc layer thickness, likely due to the irreversible alloying step of zinc and lithium. Among the various thicknesses evaluated, the thin zinc layer (286 nm) combined with the carbon black layer demonstrated the most promising cycling performance in all solid‐state batteries.