Interphasial Li+ flux engineering for uniform lithium deposition toward high-areal-capacity and anode-less lithium metal batteries

• • The Sm2S3-modified carbonaceous host enables an ultrahigh rate capability of 20 mA cm−2 and ultralong cycling stability of 7440 cycles, demonstrating dendrite-free lithium deposition; this performance is critical for fast-charging applications where conventional anodes fail due to dendritic short-circuiting. • • In a 4.5 V anode-less Li||LiCoO2 cell, the system achieves over 1100 cycles with 87.2% capacity retention at an areal capacity of ~1.93 mA h cm−2, even under an ultralow N/P ratio of ~0.26 and lean electrolyte of ~5 g Ah−1; this validates the anode's viability for high-energy-density cells with minimal lithium excess. • • The anode-less pouch cell delivers an ultrahigh areal capacity of ~6.01 mA h cm−2 and sustains cycling under an ultra-low N/P ratio of ~0.71 and ultra-lean electrolyte of ~1 g Ah−1, achieving a high energy density of 505 Wh kg−1; this demonstrates the potential for practical, high-energy batteries with minimal electrolyte and lithium inventory. • • The in situ Li2S-reinforced interphase layer is key to achieving high Coulombic efficiency and uniform lithium deposition, which directly addresses the interfacial instability that limits cycle life in conventional lithium metal batteries.