Understanding the origin of lithium dendrite branching in Li<sub>6.5</sub>La<sub>3</sub>Zr<sub>1.5</sub>Ta<sub>0.5</sub>O<sub>12</sub> solid-state electrolyte via microscopy measurements.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 39294112.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-52412-4 and PMC identifier 11410937.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Lithium dendrite growth in inorganic solid-state electrolytes acts as a main stumbling block for the commercial development of all-solid-state lithium batteries. Indeed, Li dendrites often lead to solid-state electrolyte fractures, undermining device integrity and safety. Despite the significance of these issues, the mechanisms driving the solid-state electrolyte fracture process at the microscopic level remain poorly understood. Here, via operando optical and ex situ dark field X-ray microscopy measurements of LiSn∣single-crystal Li<sub>6.5</sub>La<sub>3</sub>Zr<sub>1.5</sub>Ta<sub>0.5</sub>O<sub>12</sub>∣LiSn symmetric cells, we provide insights into solid-state electrolyte strain patterns and lattice orientation changes associated with dendrite growth. We report the observation of dislocations in the immediate vicinity of dendrite tips, including one instance where a dislocation is anchored directly to a tip. This latter occurrence in single-crystalline ceramics suggests an interplay between dendrite proliferation and dislocation formation. We speculate that the mechanical stress induced by dendrite expansion triggers dislocation generation. These dislocations seem to influence the fracture process, potentially affecting the directional growth and branching observed in lithium dendrites.