Revealing the Role of MOF and COF Reticular Chemistry in Solid State Batteries: From Electrode to Electrolyte Design.

Abstract

Solid-state batteries (SSBs) are considered next-generation energy storage technologies due to their intrinsic safety and high energy density. However, their widespread commercial introduction is still hindered by slow ion transport and unstable interfaces. Reticular compounds, including metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs), offer a growing toolset to address these limitations through ordered porosity, modular chemical functionality, and structural tunability. Solid electrolytes with directed ion pathways, mechanically flexible cathodes to stabilize high-voltage chemistries, and anode interfaces that regulate ion flow and prevent dendritic growth can all be effectively engineered through reticular chemistry. This review first outlines the primary challenges of SSBs, subsequently conducting a critical role of reticular compounds within electrolytes, cathodes, and anodes, emphasizing the influence of reticular modulation strategies and the recent plethora in framework-integrated batteries. Operando and multiscale characterizations are essential for elucidating these framework behaviors, and a dedicated section is also included to contextualize these design concepts and demonstrate how such modularity functions in practical SSBs. Finally, future directions are proposed to guide the systematic design of reticular compounds based SSBs, aiming to motivate the wider community in advancing safe, high-performance, and scalable solid-state energy storage systems.