Chemically etched lithium metal anode with a quasi-single-crystalline (110) surface

The practical application of lithium metal anodes is hindered by non-uniform lithium electrodeposition (e.g., dendrite growth), which originates from the inherent crystallographic heterogeneity of polycrystalline foils. Here we report a rapid chemical etching method that converts this surface into a quasi-single-crystalline structure with a preferred (110) orientation. This reconditioning promotes uniform lithium plating and stripping, as confirmed by stabilized interfacial resistance and post-cycling morphology. In symmetric cells, reconditioned Li operates stably for over 3,000 h, drastically outperforming pristine Li. This stability extends to Li||LiFePO4 cells under practical conditions, including high 10 C rate with thin foils (e.g., 60 µm) that sustains 2,000 cycles. By directly addressing crystallographic heterogeneity, this simple pre-treatment could be integrated with other strategies to accelerate the development of practical lithium metal batteries.