Interfacial engineering of lithium metal anodes: what is left to uncover?

Lithium metal batteries possess remarkable energy storage capabilities, but their commercial realization is hindered by challenges in controlling the reactivity of lithium. Interfacial engineering has emerged as a promising strategy for addressing lithium reactivity. In this article, we discuss several key interfacial engineering approaches used to stabilize lithium metal at lithium-electrolyte and lithium-current collector interfaces. We examine these commonly employed interfacial engineering methods and highlight unresolved questions crucial for advancing the understanding of lithium reactivity. Our discussion highlights the potential of interfacial engineering tools to enhance our understanding of and overcome the challenges associated with lithium reactivity. Interfacial engineering plays a key role in solving the reactivity puzzle of lithium metal batteries. Here, we discuss the interfacial engineering pieces that are in place and the ones that still need to be fitted.

Automated summary

Lithium metal batteries have great energy storage capabilities, but their commercial use is hindered by challenges in controlling lithium reactivity. Interfacial engineering is considered as a promising strategy to address this issue. This article discusses key interfacial engineering approaches used to stabilize lithium metal at interfaces, and highlights unresolved questions crucial for advancing our understanding of lithium reactivity.