Every time a smartphone is charged or an electric vehicle is plugged in, billions of lithium ions move through a battery to store energy. Future devices could perform far better with solid-state batteries, a technology that promises longer-lasting phones, safer energy storage, and electric vehicles capable of traveling much farther on a single charge. Yet one stubborn problem has kept these batteries from reaching the mainstream: tiny structures called dendrites that can destroy a battery from the inside.
Now, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials (MPI-SusMat) have uncovered exactly how these microscopic defects trigger battery failure. Their findings, published in Nature, provide new insight into one of the most important challenges facing next-generation energy storage.
Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, which rely on a liquid electrolyte to move ions between electrodes, solid-state batteries use a solid ceramic electrolyte. Eliminating the liquid component offers several advantages. Solid-state designs can potentially store more energy in the same amount of space, reduce fire risks, and remain functional for longer periods.
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