Structural composite solid electrolyte interphases on lithium metal anodes induced by inorganic/organic activators

Lithium (Li) metal is widely recognized as a promising anode material for next-generation Li secondary batteries, owing to its exceptionally high theoretical specific capacity of 3860 mAh g- 1 and the lowest reduction potential (-3.04 V vs. standard hydrogen electrode). However, the instability of the native solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) leads to dendrite growth, which poses significant safety risks and contributes to battery degradation. To address this issue, numerous strategies have been proposed to construct artificial SEI with good physical and chemical properties. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of advancements in constructing artificial SEI from the perspective of precursor materials (i.e., inorganic and organic inducers) and construction methods (i.e., in situ and ex situ). It focuses on the compositional and nanostructural changes of SEI engineered by different strategies and explores their resulting functional differences. Based on the summary of various strategies, prospective research directions for the development of artificial SEI are finally envisioned.