Lithium alloy anodes for all-solid-state lithium batteries: from failure mechanism to performance-oriented design

Abstract

All-solid-state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMBs) are poised to surpass conventional graphite-anode lithium-ion batteries due to their enhanced safety and high energy density. However, lithium metal anodes in ASSLMBs face critical challenges including mechanical failures, interfacial contact loss, interfacial reactions, and lithium dendrite-induced short circuits. Lithium alloy anodes demonstrate distinct advantages in terms of energy density, electrode/electrolyte interface stabilization, and dendrite suppression, positioning them as promising candidates for ASSLMBs. This review systematically analyzes the failure mechanisms of lithium anodes, encompassing mechanical failure, interfacial contact loss, interfacial reaction, and dendrite growth. Subsequently, the corresponding lithium alloy properties aligned with these failure mechanisms are elucidated. Then the state-of-the-art alloy anodes for ASSLMBs are reviewed. Finally, the prospects for the future research of ASSLMBs and alloy anodes are presented. This review aims to offer valuable insights into the design of lithium alloy anodes for advanced ASSLMBs.