Gradiently Polymerized Solid Electrolyte Meets with Micro-/Nanostructured Cathode Array

The poor contact between the solid-state electrolyte and cathode materials leads to a high interfacial resistance, severely limiting the rate capability of solid Li metal batteries. Herein, an integrative battery design is introduced with a gradiently polymerized solid electrolyte (GPSE), a microchannel current collector array, and nanosized cathode particles. An in situ formed GPSE encapsulates cathode nanoparticles in the microchannel with ductile inclusions to lower the interfacial impedance, and the stiff surface layer of GPSE toward anode suppresses the Li dendrite growth. The Li metal batteries based on GPSE and the Li-free hydrogenated V₂O₅ (V₂O₅-H) cathode exhibit an outstanding high rate response of up to 5 C (the capacity ratio of 5 C/1 C is 90.3%) and an ultralow capacity fade rate of 0.07% per cycle over 300 cycles. The other Li-containing cathodes such as LiFePO₄ and LiNi_0.5Mn_0.3Co_0.2O₂ can also operate effectively at the rates of 5 and 2 C, respectively. Such an ingenious design may provide new insights into other solid metal batteries through an interfacial engineering manipulation at the micro- and nanolevel.