Issue 5, 2022

The quest for the holy grail of solid-state lithium batteries

Abstract

Tremendous improvements in the Li+ conductivity of inorganic solid electrolytes over the past 15 years have renewed interest in developing solid state batteries, with a particular focus on realizing the lithium metal anode. Despite initial hopes, solid electrolytes pressed against flat lithium metal anodes have so far been unable to mitigate the penetration of the solid electrolyte by lithium dendrites. Our understanding of how lithium dendrites grow through solid electrolytes has also evolved. Based on the current literature, it appears that the root cause of lithium penetration is the low self-diffusion of Li0, coupled with lithium plating/stripping hot spots. Many different approaches to mitigate lithium penetration have been attempted. Some approaches, in particular, may warrant deeper insight, such as high-surface-area substrates for lithium deposition, lithium-alloys and artificial SEIs. Separately from the challenges of lithium metal, solid-state cathodes must contend with crack formation due to the expansion and contraction of the active material. Soft electrolytes, such as composite electrolytes, may be able to somewhat alleviate this. Herein we explain the challenges facing solid state cells, the attempts that have been made to mitigate them and our opinion of the most promising routes to success.

Graphical abstract: The quest for the holy grail of solid-state lithium batteries

Article information

Article type
Perspective
Submitted
11 شعبان 1443
Accepted
11 رمضان 1443
First published
18 رمضان 1443

Energy Environ. Sci., 2022,15, 1840-1860

The quest for the holy grail of solid-state lithium batteries

P. Bonnick and J. Muldoon, Energy Environ. Sci., 2022, 15, 1840 DOI: 10.1039/D2EE00842D

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements