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Yan et al. Energy Mater 2023;3:300002 Energy Materials
DOI: 10.20517/energymater.2022.60

Review Open Access

Lithium metal stabilization for next-generation

lithium-based batteries: from fundamental chemistry
to advanced characterization and effective

protection

*
1,
1
1,2
1
Yu Yan , Ting Zeng , Sheng Liu , Chaozhu Shu , Ying Zeng 1, *
1
College of Materials and Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, Sichuan,
China.
2
Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731,
Sichuan, China.
* Correspondence to: Prof./Dr. Chaozhu Shu, College of Materials and Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Chengdu University
of Technology, 1# Dongsanlu, Erxianqiao, Chengdu 610059, Sichuan, China. E-mail: czshu@imr.ac.cn; Prof./Dr. Ying Zeng,
College of Materials and Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, 1# Dongsanlu, Erxianqiao,
Chengdu 610059, Sichuan, China. E-mail: zengy@cdut.edu.cn
How to cite this article: Yan Y, Zeng T, Liu S, Shu C, Zeng Y. Lithium metal stabilization for next-generation lithium-based
batteries: from fundamental chemistry to advanced characterization and effective protection. Energy Mater 2023;3:300002.
https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/energymater.2022.60

Received: 30 Sep 2022 First Decision: 9 Nov 2022 Revised: 25 Nov 2022 Accepted: 5 Dec 2022 Published: 11 Jan 2023

Academic Editors: Yuping Wu, Jiazhao Wang Copy Editor: Fangling Lan Production Editor: Fangling Lan

Abstract
Lithium (Li) metal-based rechargeable batteries hold significant promise to meet the ever-increasing demands for
portable electronic devices, electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage, making them the optimal alternatives
for next-generation secondary batteries. Nevertheless, Li metal anodes currently suffer from major drawbacks,
including safety concerns, capacity decay and lifespan degradation, which arise from uncontrollable dendrite
growth, notorious side reactions and infinite volume variation, thereby limiting their current practical application.
Numerous critical endeavors from different perspectives have been dedicated to developing highly stable Li metal
anodes. Herein, a comprehensive overview of Li metal anodes regarding fundamental mechanisms, scientific
challenges, characterization techniques, theoretical investigations and advanced strategies is systematically
presented. First, the basic working principles of Li metal-based batteries are introduced. Specific attention is then
paid to the fundamental understanding of and challenges facing Li metal anodes. Accordingly, advanced
characterization approaches and theoretical computations are introduced to understand the fundamental
mechanisms of dendrite growth and parasitic reactions. Recent key progress in Li anode protection is then

© The Author(s) 2023. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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