Progress and prospect of covalent organic framework-based membranes for sustainable alkali metal batteries: A brief review

Abstract

Noteworthy challenges such as severe side reactions, interfacial instability, and dendrite growth have plagued rechargeable alkali metal batteries for a long time. Alleviating the plight necessitates innovative membranes capable of modulating ion transport and establishing stable interfaces. The exploration of implemented membranes with thermal/mechanical and electrochemical stability is crucial for achieving high-performance and safe alkali metal batteries. Crystalline covalent organic framework (COF) membranes have emerged as promising materials for next-generation energy storage systems due to their tunable porosity and exceptional physicochemical properties. This review specifically examines the critical role of COF membranes in enabling sustainable alkali metal (Li/Na/K) batteries, with a particular focus on design principles, performance advantages, and key challenges of COF membranes. The discussion emphasizes structure-property relationships specifically relevant to rechargeable battery applications, supported by recent decades of research. Impressively, this mini review further identifies three critical research frontiers: reticular chemistry-guided materials design, multifunctional composite architectures, and in-situ characterization techniques. This targeted analysis provides actionable insights for developing COF membranes that address the fundamental limitations of current alkali metal battery technologies.