Harnessing interfacial engineering in covalent organic frameworks for lithium metal batteries

The application of lithium metal anodes (LMAs) in batteries promises high energy density but faces challenges due to uncontrollable Li dendrite formation and instability of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). The architectural features and diversity of fabrication methods of covalent organic frameworks (COFs), such as wellordered pores, functionalities tunability, and remarkable stability, endow COF-based interfacial layers with homogenizing ion flux and accelerating ion transport, have demonstrated to be a straightforward and efficient way to tackle LMA problems. This review thoroughly reviews the general structure and linking modes of COFs, the Li+ interfacial chemistry and associated characteristics as well as the prominent progress occurring from 2019 to 2024. Meanwhile, this review attempts to propose some tactics anticipated in the future development of COFs for LMA applications in terms of large-scale manufacturing, improvement of battery performance, and exploration of the mechanism. It is widely believed that optimizing the synergistic effects between the building blocks of COFs will offer valuable insights and guidance for both researchers and practitioners working in this area.