A new material may significantly extend the life of lithium batteries

A new material could significantly extend the life of lithium batteries

Researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have created a new material aimed at tackling one of the major challenges facing lithium-metal batteries: the formation of dendrites, which can trigger short circuits and accelerate battery degradation.

The team developed a single-crystal bulk borate covalent organic framework (an impeccably ordered molecular “construction set”, assembled into a single crystalline lattice) that functions as a solid-state electrolyte. Unlike most existing polycrystalline COF structures, this new version features organised channels for ion transport and promotes more even lithium plating. According to the researchers, these properties help suppress dendrite growth, improve stability, and increase battery safety.

Performance in full cells with a LiFePO4 cathode

In full cells using a LiFePO4 cathode, the batteries retained 91.8% of their capacity after 600 cycles, while Coulombic efficiency reached 99.98%. In other words, nearly all the energy put into the battery during charging is actually recovered during discharge.

Potential for practical solid-state lithium-metal batteries

The researchers believe this type of structure could represent an important step towards practical solid-state lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and other applications where high energy density and long service life are especially critical.

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