Atomic Precision: Advancing Lithium Batteries through Interface Engineering

As the global demand for alternative energy intensifies, there is ongoing research and development aimed at enhancing energy storage systems. Lithium metal batteries represent a promising technology for next-generation energy storage solutions. However, stabilizing the lithium metal anode in these batteries remains a significant obstacle to their commercial viability. Given the central role of interfaces in lithium metal batteries and other electrochemical energy storage systems, engineering and controlling electrode interfaces emerge as a promising strategy for achieving stable performance. During this talk, I will present our research on the layer-by-layer synthetic strategies used to coat interfaces in battery devices with nanoscale thin film materials, aimed at enhancing stability and performance. Our approach leverages atomic layer deposition (ALD), a synthesis method that offers precise control over the composition, structure, and thickness of thin films. We show that with the appropriate film properties, ALD interfacial layers deposited on the current collector can be used to regulate lithium metal morphology and the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), ultimately improving electrochemical performance in Li metal batteries. For example, ultrathin metal oxide interfacial films on the lithium anode's current collector can facilitate uniform and reversible Li plating, thereby enhancing battery cyclability. We also introduce a characterization method that enables us to probe the chemical composition of the pristine SEI without species loss by arresting chemical reactions and preserving volatile species at cryogenic temperatures. This new access to pristine interfacial composition allows us to correlate performance across various electrolyte chemistries.

Speaker: Stacey Bent, Stanford University