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All‐solid‐state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMBs) with solid electrolytes (SEs) have emerged as a promising alternative to liquid electrolyte‐based Li‐ion batteries due to their higher energy density and safety. However, since ASSLMBs lack the wetting properties of liquid electrolytes, they require stacking pressure to prevent contact loss between electrodes and SEs. Though previous studies showed that stacking pressure could impact certain performance aspects, a comprehensive investigation into the effects of stacking pressure has not been conducted. To address this gap, we utilized the Li6PS5Cl solid electrolyte as a reference and investigated the effects of stacking pressures on the performance of SEs and ASSLMBs. We also developed models to explain the underlying origin of these effects and predict battery performance, such as ionic conductivity and critical current density. Our results demonstrated that an appropriate stacking pressure is necessary to achieve optimal performance, and each step of applying pressure requires a specific pressure value. These findings can help explain discrepancies in the literature and provide guidance to establish standardized testing conditions and reporting benchmarks for ASSLMBs. Overall, this study contributes to the understanding of the impact of stacking pressure on the performance of ASSLMBs and highlights the importance of careful pressure optimization for optimal battery performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main bottleneck against industrial utilization of sodium ion batteries (SIBs) is the lack of high‐capacity electrodes to rival those of the benchmark lithium ion batteries (LIBs). Here in this work, we have developed an economical method for in situ fabrication of nanocomposites made of crystalline few‐layer graphene sheets loaded with ultrafine SnO2 nanocrystals, using short exposure of microwave to xerogel of graphene oxide (GO) and tin tetrachloride containing minute catalyzing dispersoids of chemically reduced GO (RGO). The resultant nanocomposites (SnO2@MWG) enabled significantly quickened redox processes as SIB anode, which led to remarkable full anode‐specific capacity reaching 538 mAh g−1 at 0.05 A g−1 (about 1.45 times of the theoretical capacity of graphite for the LIB), in addition to outstanding rate performance over prolonged charge–discharge cycling. Anodes based on the optimized SnO2@MWG delivered stable performance over 2000 cycles even at a high current density of 5 A g−1, and capacity retention of over 70.4% was maintained at a high areal loading of 3.4 mg cm−2, highly desirable for high energy density SIBs to rival the current benchmark LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non-uniform plating–stripping behaviours of Li metal anodes hinder the application of Li metal batteries. Here, a stable 3D matrix is designed by coating a carbon skeleton with MXene, and the significant influence of the crystallographic texture of Li metal on electrochemical behaviour is investigated. The results demonstrate that the 3D MXene/carbon skeleton can effectively induce the evolution of advantageous Li(110) facets with a dendrite-free anode interface. Consequently, the modified Li metal anodes deliver stable plating–stripping behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major problem against the realization of high energy density and safe solid Li-ion batteries lies in detrimental reactions at the interface between the lithium anode and the solid electrolytes. This makes it necessary to develop an artificial solid electrolyte interphase (ASEI) as an effective protective coating to the lithium anode, which is the "Holy Grail" to enable high energy density batteries owing to its extremely high capacity. Here in this work, we carried out high-throughput first-principles modelling in the framework of materials genome engineering to identify potential ASEIs based on lithium nitric halides Li3a+bNaXb (X: halogen F, Cl, Br, I). On the basis of comprehensive assessments covering material stability, ionic conductivity, elastic modulus, and electrochemical compatibility with Li and potential SSEs, we have identified lithium nitric halides such as Li6NCl3 as superb ASEI candidates in line with their adequate ionic conductivity and fairly wide electrochemical window from 0 to 2 V (vs. Li/Li+). This makes them compatible with the lithium anode and various well-recognized thiophosphate SSEs such as LGPS, Li6PS5Cl, and Li3PS4, which have typical reduction potentials around 1.71 V. Besides, the large elastic modulus (e.g. 61.12 GPa for Li6NCl3) could be highly effective against the formation of lithium dendrites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major problem against the realization of high energy density and safe solid Li-ion batteries lies in detrimental reactions at the interface between the lithium anode and the solid electrolytes. This makes it necessary to develop an artificial solid electrolyte interphase (ASEI) as an effective protective coating to the lithium anode, which is the "Holy Grail" to enable high energy density batteries owing to its extremely high capacity. Here in this work, we carried out high-throughput first-principles modelling in the framework of materials genome engineering to identify potential ASEIs based on lithium nitric halides Li3a+bNaXb (X: halogen F, Cl, Br, I). On the basis of comprehensive assessments covering material stability, ionic conductivity, elastic modulus, and electrochemical compatibility with Li and potential SSEs, we have identified lithium nitric halides such as Li6NCl3 as superb ASEI candidates in line with their adequate ionic conductivity and fairly wide electrochemical window from 0 to 2 V (vs. Li/Li+). This makes them compatible with the lithium anode and various well-recognized thiophosphate SSEs such as LGPS, Li6PS5Cl, and Li3PS4, which have typical reduction potentials around 1.71 V. Besides, the large elastic modulus (e.g. 61.12 GPa for Li6NCl3) could be highly effective against the formation of lithium dendrites.