| Title: |
Strong and brittle lithium dendrites. |
| Authors: |
Ai, Qing; Zhang, Boyu; Liu, Xing; Shin, Bongki; Guo, Wenhua; Gao, Guanhui; Zhao, Lihong; Weng, Xintong; Fang, Qiyi; Zhai, Tianshu; Steinbach, Doug; Zhu, Yifan; Liu, Yifeng; Wang, Fan; Tian, Xiaoyin; Guo, Hua; Zhang, Youtian; Zhao, Xuan; Han, Yimo; Tang, Ming |
| Source: |
Science; 3/12/2026, Vol. 391 Issue 6790, p1125-1129, 5p |
| Subject Terms: |
Fracture strength; Brittle materials; Mechanical behavior of materials; Solid electrolytes; Solid state batteries; Lithium; Lithium-ion batteries; Nanomechanics |
| Abstract: |
The growth and penetration of lithium dendrites through electrolytes and separators remain key challenges to realizing high–energy density lithium-metal batteries. Using mechanically strong electrolytes and separators has been considered a promising strategy based on the commonly believed softness of lithium. However, dendrite formation persists in stiff solid electrolytes, suggesting distinct mechanical behaviors. We measured the mechanical properties of individual lithium dendrites using an air-free protocol. We found that lithium dendrites are unexpectedly strong and brittle, with fracture stress greater than ~150 megapascals, unlike the ductile bulk metal. Cryo–transmission electron microscopy and mechanical modeling showed that this behavior arises from solid electrolyte interface constraints and nanoscale strengthening. These findings provide alternative mechanisms for dendrite penetration and dead lithium formation as well as guidance for design strategies for lithium-metal batteries. Editor's summary: As a bulk material, lithium is a soft metal with the ability to deform, enabling good electrical contact to solid electrolyte surfaces. Ai et al. performed a nanomechanical study on lithium dendrites that grew on a copper transmission electron microscopy (TEM) grid in a working lithium-ion battery with liquid electrolytes. Lithium dendrites were transferred from the TEM grid to a testing device using an air-free procedure. Tensile tests performed in a scanning electron microscope showed that the dendrites have remarkably high fracture strength, high modulus, and brittle fracture. These observations may help to explain solid electrolyte penetration, poor interfacial contact, and the presence of "dead lithium" in solid-state batteries. —Marc S. Lavine [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| : |
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| Database: |
Complementary Index |