A novel lightweight three-dimensional (3D) composite anode for a fast-charging/discharging Li-ion battery (LIB) was fabricated entirely using one-dimensional (1D) nanomaterials, i.e., Cu nanowires (CuNWs) and multi-walled C nanotubes (MWCNTs). Because of the excellent electrical conductivity, high-aspect ratio structures, and large surface areas of these nanomaterials, the CuNW-MWCNT composite (CNMC) with 3D structure provides significant advantages regarding the transport pathways for both electrons and ions. As an advanced binder-free anode, a CuNW-MWCNT composite film with a controllable thickness (~600 μm) exhibited a considerably low sheet resistance, and internal cell resistance. Furthermore, the random CuNW network with 3D structure acting as a rigid framework not only prevented MWCNT shrinkage and expansion due to aggregation and swelling but also minimized the effect of the volume change during the charge/discharge process. Both a half cell and a full cell of LIBs with the CNMC anode exhibited high specific capacities and Coulombic efficiencies, even at a high current. More importantly, we for the first time overcame the limitation of MWCNTs as anode materials for fast-charging/discharging LIBs (both half cells and full cells) by employing CuNWs, and the resulting anode can be applied to flexible LIBs. This innovative anode structure can lead to the development of ultrafast chargeable LIBs for electric vehicles.

Curved Cu nanowire (CCN)-based high-performance flexible transparent conductive electrodes (FTCEs) were fabricated via a fully solution-processed approach, involving synthesis, coating, patterning, welding, and transfer. Each step involved an innovative technique for completing the all-solution processes. The high-quality and well-dispersed CCNs were synthesized using a multi-polyol method through the synergistic effect of specific polyol reduction. To precisely control the optoelectrical properties of the FTCEs, the CCNs were uniformly coated on a polyimide (PI) substrate via a simple meniscus-dragging deposition method by tuning several coating parameters. We also employed a polyurethane (PU)-stamped patterning method to effectively produce 20 μm patterns on CCN thin films. The CCN thin films exhibited high electrical performance, which is attributed to the deeply percolated CCN network formed via a solvent-dipped welding method. Finally, the CCN thin films on the PI substrate were partially embedded and transferred to the PU matrix to reduce their surface roughness. Through consecutive processes involving the proposed methods, a highly percolated CCN thin film on the PU matrix exhibited high optoelectrical performance (R_s = 53.48 Ω/□ at T = 85.71%), excellent mechanical properties (R/R₀ < 1.10 after the 10^th repetition of tape peeling or 1, 000 bending cycles), and a low root-mean-square surface roughness (R_rms = 14.36 nm).