Silver-based additive reconfigures interfaces in anode-free lithium metal batteries

Researchers at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed a dynamic integrated interface engineering strategy that enhances the energy density and stability of anode-free lithium metal batteries by reconfiguring key battery interfaces. In tests reported with the study, a pouch cell using the strategy achieved a specific energy of 467 Wh kg-1, comparable to conventional commercial batteries, while a full coin cell retained 90% of its capacity after 200 cycles. The work, published in Nature Communications, opens what the team describes as a new pathway towards lighter and longer-lasting next-generation batteries.

The study was led by Prof. Shao Minhua, Cheong Ying Chan Professor of Energy Engineering and Environment and Head and Chair Professor of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at HKUST. The research team, all from Prof. Shao’s group, includes postdoctoral fellows Dr. Chen Yunyi, the first author, and Dr. Lu Siqi, former postdoctoral fellow Dr. Qian Xitang, 2026 PhD graduate Dr. Lyu Yuxiang, and current PhD students Qiu Yican, Zhou Siyu and Lan Xinyi. The paper appeared in Nature Communications under the title “Highly stable quasi-solid-state initially-anode-free lithium metal batteries enabled by dynamic integrated interface engineering”.

The appeal of lithium metal lies in its fundamental electrochemistry. It offers a high theoretical specific capacity and a low reduction potential, which together make it a promising candidate for the next generation of energy storage. Anode-free designs push this logic further: instead of hosting a lithium metal anode at all, the cell uses a bare copper current collector, on which lithium plates during charging and strips during discharge. Removing the anode maximizes energy density and simplifies manufacturing, since no lithium foil needs to be handled or laminated during cell assembly.

That simplicity, however, comes with stubborn problems. Compounding the issue, the solid electrolyte interphase, or SEI, that forms naturally on the electrode is unstable, which limits cycling performance and shortens battery life.

To address these challenges, the HKUST team introduced an additive called AMI, which consists of silver ions paired with anions. According to the study, AMI triggers multiple synergistic functions inside the battery after cell assembly. It improves lithiophilicity and prevents the generation of dendrites. The silver-modified surface anchors anion-derived species, leading to an SEI with an organic-rich inner layer and an inorganic-rich outer layer. Meanwhile, the released anions trigger polymerization of the electrolyte, forming a quasi-solid organic-inner/inorganic-outer SEI gel that improves interfacial contact.

The resulting interface architecture enables fast lithium-ion transport, significantly enhances battery stability, and further helps to inhibit dendrite growth to ensure safety. In effect, a single additive performs several jobs at once: it modifies the current collector, builds an anion-derived solvation structure, and forms a robust layered SEI, all within one integrated process that unfolds dynamically inside the assembled cell.

Prof. Shao, corresponding author of the study, emphasized that the design is more than a matter of mixing ingredients. “The key is not simply adding a silver salt or a polymerization initiator,” she said. “Our AMI releases multiple functions through a controlled process after cell assembly, allowing us to modify the current collector, build an anion-derived solvation structure, and form a robust organic-inner/inorganic-outer SEI in one integrated process. This makes lithium plating and stripping highly reversible in an anode-free, quasi-solid-state configuration, laying a stronger foundation for the development of next-generation batteries.”

The reported performance figures place the strategy in a competitive position. The pouch cell’s specific energy of 467 Wh kg-1 is comparable to conventional commercial batteries, and the coin cell’s retention of 90% capacity after 200 cycles demonstrates the reversibility of lithium plating and stripping in the quasi-solid-state, anode-free configuration. The research was published on 25 July 2026, with the DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-76060-y.

By combining interface modification, solvation-structure engineering and in-situ SEI formation in one controlled process, the HKUST team argues that anode-free lithium metal batteries can move closer to practical deployment.

Subject of Research: Dynamic integrated interface engineering for anode-free lithium metal batteries

Article Title: HKUST develops dynamic integrated interface engineering for lithium metal batteries

Article References: HKUST develops dynamic integrated interface engineering for lithium metal batteries. Original publication (Bibliographic details unavailable.)

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Keywords: anode-free batteries, lithium metal, solid electrolyte interphase, dendrites, HKUST, Nature Communications, energy density, silver additive, quasi-solid-state electrolyte, battery interfaces, copper current collector, cycle life