Phase Field Simulation of the Deposition Behavior of Structured Lithium Metal Batteries

Lithium metal batteries are considered promising candidates for next-generation high-energy-density storage systems, owing to their high theoretical capacity and low electrochemical potential. However, the formation of lithium dendrites during cycling significantly compromises battery efficiency and safety. To address this challenge, structural design and optimization of lithium metal anodes have become a research hotspot. In this study, a nonlinear phase-field model was utilized to examine the dendrite growth behavior in anodes with various patterned structures. Particular emphasis was placed on both analyzing the deposition characteristics of the sawtooth anode and conducting a comparative evaluation with the conventional bare lithium anode. Results reveal that the sawtooth anode significantly enhances lithium deposition uniformity and effectively suppresses disordered dendrite growth, owing to its large specific surface area and uniformly distributed nucleation sites. Moreover, the sawtooth anode maintains excellent deposition uniformity even under high noise and exchange current density conditions, showcasing superior electrochemical performance. The study further examined the impact of surface pits on dendrite growth behavior in both types of anodes. These findings provide new theoretical insights and design guidelines for the structural optimization of lithium metal battery anodes.