Designing the future of energy storage: Comparative assessment of deposition methods for 3D foam-based next-generation lithium-ion batteries

The ever-growing demand for efficient and sustainable energy storage has driven intensive research into advanced lithium-ion battery (LIB) architectures. Among emerging strategies, the use of three-dimensional (3D) foam-type current collectors has shown significant promise in overcoming the limitations of conventional two-dimensional electrode designs. These 3D scaffolds enable high surface area, improved electron/ion transport, and enhanced structural stability under cycling stress. However, achieving uniform and strongly adherent coatings of active materials on such complex geometries requires carefully tailored deposition methods. This review provides a comprehensive and comparative assessment of the most prominent deposition techniques, including hydro/solvothermal synthesis, electrodeposition, in-situ growth via thermal oxidation, and other solution-based or vapor-phase approaches, employed for fabricating high-performance electrodes on 3D foam substrates such as nickel, copper, carbon, and graphene foams. The underlying mechanisms, morphological evolution, and electrochemical performance of each approach are critically discussed. Emphasis is placed on correlating process parameters with coating quality, structural integrity, and battery performance metrics, such as specific capacity, rate capability, and cycle stability. The insights gathered here provide a practical roadmap for advancing next-generation LIB electrodes through rational selection and optimization of deposition strategies tailored to 3D architectures. • Comprehensively reviews and compares state-of-the-art deposition techniques for integrating active materials onto 3D foam-type current collectors for lithium-ion batteries. • Identifies key synthesis parameters that control nucleation, growth kinetics, and coating uniformity on complex 3D scaffolds. • Critically examines the structure – process – performance relationship, with emphasis on the influence of deposition techniques on morphology, interfacial adhesion, and long-term electrochemical stability of 3D electrodes. • Offers strategic insights for designing next-generation 3D electrode architectures with high areal capacity, fast ion transport, and structural robustness.