Practical Solid-State Batteries Using Pressure

Mechanical stress exploits workaround to electrochemical failure

4 min read

Illustration shows a grey disk  with two metal circles on each end and a thin piece of metal attached to each. Thin grey strips branch out of one of them. Above and below the disk are illustrative red arrows facing the disk.

Researchers solved a problem facing solid-state lithium batteries, which can be shorted out by dendrites, metal filaments that cross the gap between metal electrodes. They found that applying a compression force across a solid electrolyte material [gray disk] caused the dendrite [dark line at left] to stop moving from one electrode toward the other [the round metallic patches at each side] and instead veer harmlessly sideways, toward the direction of the force.

MIT