Design Lithium Exchanged Zeolite Based Multifunctional Electrode Additive for Ultra-High Loading Electrode Toward High Energy Density Lithium Metal Battery

The practicalization of a high energy density battery requires the electrode to achieve decent performance under ultra-high active material loading. However, as the electrode thickness increases, there is a notable restriction in ionic transport in the electrodes, limiting the diffusion kinetics of Li⁺ and the utilization rate of active substances. In this study, lithium-ion-exchanged zeolite X (Li-X zeolite) is synthesized via Li⁺ exchange strategy to enhance Li⁺ diffusion kinetics. When incorporated Li–X zeolite into the ultra-high loading cathodes, it possesses i) high electron conductivity with a uniform network by reducing tortuosity, ii) decent ion conductivity attributes to modulated Li⁺ diffusivity of Li-X and iii) high elasticity to prevent particle-level cracking and electrode-level disintegration. Moreover, Li–X zeolite at the solid/liquid interface facilitates the formation of a stable cathode electrolyte interface, which effectively suppresses side reactions and mitigates the dissolution of transition cations. Therefore, an ultra-high loading (66 mg cm⁻²) cathode is fabricated via dry electrode technology, demonstrating a remarkable areal capacity of 12.7 mAh cm⁻² and a high energy density of 464 Wh kg⁻¹ in a lithium metal battery. The well-designed electrode structure with multifunctional Li–X zeolite as an additive in thick cathodes holds promise to enhance the battery's rate capability, cycling stability, and overall energy density.