Artificial solid electrolyte interphase sustaining persistent lithiophilicity for long-lived lithium metal electrodes

Artificial interphases have been extensively explored to mitigate dendritic Li growth and enhance cycle longevity of Li metal batteries. Among various design parameters, lithiophilicity has been considered essential for reducing nucleation overpotentials and promoting uniform Li growth; however, the long-term stability and functional persistence of lithiophilic interphases under extended cycling remain questionable. Herein, we present a hybrid artificial interphase architecture that imparts persistent lithiophilicity and mechanical integrity for long-term stabilization of Li metal electrodes. The interphase is engineered by embedding indium fluoride (InF₃), a prototypical lithiophilic compound, within a porous Li phosphate (Li₃PO₄) matrix formed in situ on the Li surface. This dual-phase structure effectively mitigates the structural and chemical instability of conventional lithiophilic layers, yielding enhanced cycling properties in Li symmetric cells over 1,400 cycles at a large current density of 5 mA cm −2 with an utilization of 1 mAh cm −2 . Post-mortem analyses reveal that the hybrid interphase retains its chemical composition and microstructural robustness, thereby preserving homogeneous charge transfer and Li deposition behavior during cycling. This finding highlights a rational interfacial design strategy that bridges lithiophilicity and structural durability, paving the way toward practical, long-lived Li metal batteries.