▎ 摘　　要

NOVELTY - An alkali metal battery comprises a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte or separator-electrolyte assembly set between the cathode and the anode. The anode comprises an anode current collector, initially having no lithium, lithium alloy, sodium or sodium alloy as an anode active material supported by the anode current collector when the battery is made and prior to a charge or discharge operation; and a reversibly compressible graphene foam, comprising multiple pores and pore walls. The graphene foam either substantially constitutes the anode current collector or is set between the anode current collector and the electrolyte. The graphene foam, when tested under compression, has a recoverable elastic deformation or reversible compressibility greater than 5%. USE - Alkali metal battery (e.g. lithium metal battery or sodium metal battery) having a graphene foam-based protective layer. ADVANTAGE - The alkali metal battery exhibits long and stable charge-discharge cycle life without exhibiting lithium or sodium dendrite problems due to incorporation of graphene foam. The preparation method is simple, easy to implement and cost effective. The lithium/sodium metal dendrite-induced internal short circuit and thermal runaway problems are reduced or completed eliminated by reducing or eliminating the detrimental reactions between lithium or sodium metal and the electrolyte.