Whisker-free lithium electrodeposition by tuning electrode microstructure.

Growth of lithium whiskers or dendrites is the major obstacle towards safe and stable utilization of lithium metal anodes in rechargeable batteries. In this study, we look deeper into the mechanism of lithium electrodeposition. We find that before lithium whisker or dendrite nucleation occurs, lithium is deposited into the grain boundaries of the metal electrode, which we directly observed in the focused ion beam cross-sections of the lithium electrode.