Quadruple the rate capability of high-energy batteries through a porous current collector design

Achieving extremely fast charging yet maintaining high energy density remains a challenge in the battery field. Traditional current collectors, being impermeable to electrolytes, hinder the movement of Li⁺ ions and restrict the high-rate capability of thick electrodes. Here we conceptualize a porous current collector for energy-dense and extremely fast-charging batteries. This porous design allows Li⁺ ions to pass through both the current collector and the separator simultaneously, thereby reducing the effective Li⁺ transport distance by half and quadrupling the diffusion-limited C-rate capability without compromising the energy density. Multilayer pouch cells equipped with this current collector demonstrate high specific energy (276 Wh kg⁻¹) and remarkable fast-charging capabilities at rates of 4 C (78.3% state of charge), 6 C (70.5% state of charge) and 10 C (54.3% state of charge). This porous current collector design is compatible with existing battery manufacturing processes and other fast-charging strategies, enriching battery configurations for designing next-generation batteries.