Solid-State Batteries Survive Thousands of Cycles After a Squeeze

Solid-state batteries survive thousands of cycles after a squeeze

A mechanical squeeze redirected lithium dendrites in solid-state batteries, preventing short circuits over thousands of cycles.

A tight squeeze could fix the biggest hurdle for solid-state car and gadget batteries

Solid-state batteries promised safer, faster-charging power, but microscopic dendrites keep triggering short circuits. Stanford researchers discovered that applying continuous mechanical pressure forces dendrites to grow harmlessly sideways, offering a simple engineering shortcut to bring next-gen batteries to EVs and mobile gadgets.

Giving solid-state batteries a squeeze keeps them from short-circuiting

Lithium-ion batteries power transportation and grid storage and enable our digital lives, but these ubiquitous batteries require frequent recharging and can fail over time. To make batteries more reliable and longer-lasting, researchers are exploring how to replace liquids inside batteries with a solid ceramic material that could improve their performance.