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Vol. 18 (2026)

Uniform Fast-Kinetic Anode/Cathode Electrolyte Interphases Enable High Performance 3C Li-Metal Batteries with > 99.9% Coulombic Efficiencies

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-026-02088-w
Qingyang Cao
State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou 510275, People’s Republic of China
Danchen Fu
State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou 510275, People’s Republic of China
Xuedong He
State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou 510275, People’s Republic of China
Yaohua Huang
State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou 510275, People’s Republic of China
Ningning Yao
State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou 510275, People’s Republic of China
Chunyu Song
State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou 510275, People’s Republic of China
Huawei Song
State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou 510275, People’s Republic of China
Chengxin Wang
State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou 510275, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Chengxin Wang

wchengx@mail.sysu.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 18 (2026), Article Number: 243

Abstract

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) represent one of the most promising energy storage systems due to unparalleled energy density. However, in commercial electrolytes, their practical high-power performance is still hampered by unstable electrolyte interfaces, leading to severe anode dendrite growth and cathode degradation. Here, 4-fluoro-3-nitrophenylboronic acid is introduced as a dual-function additive, contributing to uniform N-/F-rich interphase layers at both electrodes of the LMBs. Therefore, in the optimized electrolyte, Li-metal electrodes demonstrate enhanced plating/stripping reversibility of > 700 h (vs. 250 h at 1 mA cm−2 and 0.5 mAh cm−2) and coulombic efficiency of 98.2% (vs. 84.2%). Moreover, the corresponding LMBs achieve 99.9% capacity retention (vs. 44.7%) after 500 cycles at 3C rate, simultaneously maintaining > 99.9% coulombic efficiencies. The impressive fast-charging performance attributes to not only the uniform and compact Li deposition at the anode, but also the inhibited uncontrolled electrolyte decomposition and active species loss at the cathode due to the robust electrolyte interphases. This work highlights that proper electrolyte additive is crucial for fast-charging metal batteries.


Highlights:
1 4-Fluoro-3-nitrophenylboronic acid, as an additive, has contributed to uniform N-/F-rich interphase layers at both electrodes of the lithium metal batteries.
2 Uniform interphase layers inhibited Li dendrite growth at Li-metal anode, and alleviated uncontrolled electrolyte decomposition and active species loss at the LiFePO4 (LFP) cathode.
3 Li ||Li cells demonstrate enhanced plating/stripping reversibility of >700 h at 1 mA cm−2 and 0.5 mAh cm−2, while Li ||LFP cells can be stably cycled for over 500 cycles at 3C rate with a capacity retention of 99.9%, simultaneously maintaining >99.9% coulombic efficiencies.

Keywords

Fast charging Electrolyte additive Interphase regulation Li-metal LiFePO4
Cao, Qingyang, Danchen Fu, Xuedong He, Yaohua Huang, Ningning Yao, Chunyu Song, Huawei Song, and Chengxin Wang. 2026. “Uniform Fast-Kinetic Anode/Cathode Electrolyte Interphases Enable High Performance 3C Li-Metal Batteries with > 99.9% Coulombic Efficiencies”. Nano-Micro Letters 18 (February):243. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-026-02088-w.
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