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

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 (Li₂Pc) 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/cm² and 1.0 mAh/cm². Full cells with high-loading LiFePO₄ 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.