Friction-Induced Chemical Potential Wells in a Conjugated Matrix for Dendrite-Free Lithium Metal Anodes.

Huang, Shaozhen; Liu, Haoling; Li, Kun; Xie, Zhangdi; Li, Wenhao; Mei, Lin; Chen, Libao · Nano Lett · 2025

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

The uncontrollable dendrite growth in lithium metal batteries severely compromises their safety and commercial viability. This study designs a chemical potential well via a friction strategy, employing zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) to form an in situ lithiated interlayer comprising dilithium phthalocyanine (Li<sub>2</sub>Pc) and nano-Zn grains. The planar π-π conjugated molecular clusters with Zn sites create a potential well structure, guiding uniform lithium-ion deposition and enabling dendrite-free anodes. Consequently, the symmetric cell achieves an extended cycle life exceeding 3000 h at 1.0 mA/cm<sup>2</sup> and 1.0 mAh/cm<sup>2</sup>. Full cells with high-loading LiFePO<sub>4</sub> retain 90% capacity after 550 cycles at 1 C. Moreover, Li||NCM811 pouch cells (1 Ah, 402 Wh/kg) maintain 82.3% capacity after 400 cycles at 0.5 C. This work provides an effective strategy for the development and design of stable lithium metal anode interfaces.