Covalent Organic Frameworks Construct Precise Lithiophilic Sites for Uniform Lithium Deposition

Summary Lithium (Li) metal represents one of the most promising anode materials for constructing high-energy-density rechargeable batteries. However, uncontrolled Li dendrite growth induces limited lifespan and safety hazards, impeding the development of Li metal batteries severely. Introducing a Li host has been shown to effectively relieve dendrite growth, while further construction of lithiophilic sites will significantly facilitate uniform Li deposition for stably cycling Li metal batteries. Herein, a boroxine covalent organic framework (COF-1) is employed to construct a lithiophilic host for dendrite inhibition in working Li metal batteries. The well-defined boroxine sites demonstrate ideal lithiophilicity to reduce the Li nucleation energy barrier, and the ordered framework structure of COF-1 affords a uniform distribution of the lithiophilic sites. As a result, the COF-1-based Li host affords a more than doubled lifespan of routine anodes in both half- and full cells. This work demonstrates the promising potential of applying advanced framework materials to essential energy-related processes.