Enriched Cavities to ZIF-8-Derived Porous Carbon for Reversible Metallic Lithium Storage

Lithium (Li) metal is an ideal anode for high energy-density batteries. During Li plating and stripping, however, dendritic Li growth keeps generating an abundance of irreversible or inactive Li, resulting in severe performance degradation, short-circuiting, and eventually cell failure. Even if various porous frameworks have received considerable attention to directly store Li metals, achievable reversible and rate capabilities of porous hosts were still hindered by their morphological limitations. Still, open pathways are highly required for homogeneous metallization. For this purpose, herein, enriched cavities to zeolitic imidazolate frameworks are strategically introduced by adapting a hard silica template approach. We found that the migration of Li ions is easily accessible to inner pores and cavities away from the surface during Li plating and stripping. This approach eventually utilizes most internal pores and fully facilitates Li-ion transport, eventually enhancing electrochemistry performances such as long-term cyclability and reversible capacity.

Automated summary

Enriched cavities are strategically introduced to zeolitic imidazolate frameworks using a hard silica template approach, allowing easy access for Li ions to inner pores and cavities during Li plating and stripping. This approach optimizes internal pore utilization and facilitates Li-ion transport, ultimately enhancing electrochemistry performances such as long-term cyclability and reversible capacity.