2026-01-06 ブラウン大学
.jpg "次世代固体電池のデンドライト問題を克服（New Strategy Addresses Persistent Problem in Next-Generation Solid-State Batteries）")
＜関連情報＞
- https://www.brown.edu/news/2026-01-06/solid-state-batteries-dendrites
- https://www.cell.com/joule/abstract/S2542-4351(25)00413-1
熱誘起圧縮応力によるガーネット電解質中のデンドライト抑制 Dendrite suppression in garnet electrolytes via thermally induced compressive stress
Zikang Yu ∙ Chenjie Gan ∙ Siyuan Song ∙ Pradeep Guduru ∙ Kyung-Suk Kim ∙ Brian W. Sheldon
Joule Published:December 15, 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2025.102232
Context & scale
The global transition to electric vehicles and renewable energy requires safer, higher-energy batteries to meet growing demands for reliability and sustainability. All-solid-state lithium batteries are a leading candidate for this future, offering enhanced energy density and intrinsic safety. However, their widespread adoption is limited by lithium dendrite penetration through solid electrolytes (SEs) at high current densities, leading to catastrophic short circuits. Recent approaches to mitigate dendrites typically rely on complex chemical modifications, which are potentially difficult to scale and integrate into practical manufacturing. Here, we present direct experimental evidence that residual compressive stress—introduced mechanically via a controlled thermal gradient—can independently improve electrochemical performance in garnet SEs such as Li₆.₄La₃Zr₁.₅Ta₀.₅O₁₂ (LLZTO). This work isolates and quantifies the effect of stress alone, without altering electrolyte chemistry. The results show that a moderate temperature difference of as low as 20°C across the electrolyte leads to a nearly 3-fold increase in critical current density. In addition to validating the hypothesis that engineered compressive stresses can mitigate dendrites in brittle SEs, this study also introduces a fundamentally new design principle: mechanically driven dendrite suppression through thermal-gradient stress engineering. This framework can potentially inform strategies that improve the viability of future solid-state energy storage systems.
Highlights
- Thermal gradients can be used to generate compressive stress in solid electrolytes
- Compressive stress mechanically suppresses lithium dendrite propagation
- Critical current density increases 3-fold under thermal-gradient cycling
Summary
Lithium dendrite penetration remains a critical challenge for solid-state batteries. In this study, we provide direct experimental evidence that compressive residual stress alone, without any chemical modification, can suppress lithium dendrite propagation and improve electrochemical performance. These stresses were generated by imposing sustained through-thickness thermal gradients across Li₆.₄La₃Zr₁.₅Ta₀.₅O₁₂ (LLZTO), leading to a consistent 3-fold increase in critical current density (CCD) compared with respective isothermal controls. The magnitude of the generated stresses in the solid electrolyte was independently verified through strain-gauge and optical curvature measurements. Finite element analysis (FEA) was also conducted to interpret these stress results and to provide a broader analysis of the relationship between compressive stress and dendrite suppression. Together, these results isolate mechanical contributions of residual compressive stress as a dominant factor in dendrite resistance, establishing a mechanically driven strategy for stress engineering in solid-state batteries and providing a general design principle for robust, dendrite-free operation.
