2025 MRS Fall Meeting & Exhibit
Symposium EN04-Solid-State Alkali-Metal Batteries—Materials, Interfaces and Manufacturing
Solid-state batteries (SSBs) based on alkali-metal chemistry, such as lithium (Li) and sodium (Na), have emerged as a transformative technology with the potential to reshape the energy storage landscape. Over the past decade, both academia and industry have shown significant interest in SSBs due to their ability to overcome the limitation of conventional Li-ion batteries and unlock new applications. Key advantages of SSBs include improved safety, substantially higher energy densities, and the potential for lower cost at system level. For example, solid-state Li metal batteries could theoretically reach specific energies exceeding 500 Wh/kg and 1000 Wh/L; solid-state Na metal batteries that made from abundant and cost-effective materials, could theoretically exceeds 500 Wh/kg and further drive costs even lower. The successful commercialization of SSBs could have a significant impact on the energy sector and beyond, offering safer, higher-capacity and most cost-efficient energy storage solutions. This advancement could accelerate the adoption of clean energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to global efforts to mitigate climate change.
However, significant challenges remain in interface design, materials processing, and manufacturing of SSBs. Unlike Li-ion batteries with liquid electrolytes, solid-state electrode materials can induce significant mechanical stresses at interfaces. The complex interplay between stress and electrochemical reactions at the interfaces must be carefully managed to reduce chemo-mechanical degradation during cycling. Additionally, optimizing solid electrolyte processing and device fabrication is essential for achieving high performance and scalability. Furthermore, manufacturing challenges also impede the widespread practical adoption of SSBs.
This symposium aims to serve as an interdisciplinary platform for researchers from both academia and industry to explore the fundamental and technological challenges in the development of SSBs. The discussion will center on key aspects such as materials, interfaces, and manufacturing, and devices, etc. Key focus areas of this symposium include: the design of new solid electrode materials, advanced device fabrication techniques, strategies for fast charging, in-operando and in-situ characterization of interfaces and interlayers, the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning for battery diagnostics, multiscale electrochemical modeling to analyze the performance and safety aspects of SSBs, scalable manufacturing methods, and comprehensive life cycle assessment, etc.
Topics will include:
- Alkali-metal anode (Li, Na, etc) for SSBs;
- New cathodes and cathode-electrolyte composites design for SSBs;
- Electrode/electrolyte interface design and studies;
- Interfacial stability, stresses, defect formation and failure mechanism;
- Theoretical understanding of SSBs (simulation and modeling of materials and battery system, e.g. DFT, MD, continuum and multi-physics modeling, etc.)
- System safety and regulatory requirement for large-scale implementation;
- Advanced processing and manufacturing towards to scale-up mass production;
- Advanced characterizations (in situ and operando techniques) for SSBs;
- Impact of fast charging on electrochemical degradation and failure;
Invited Speakers:
- Stefan Adams (National University of Singapore, USA)
- Alex Bates (Sandia National Laboratories, USA)
- Torsten Brezesinski (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany)
- Peter Bruce (University of Oxford, United Kingdom)
- Daxian Cao (South China University of Technology, China)
- Gerbrand Ceder (University of California, Berkeley, USA)
- Kyung Yoon Chung (Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea)
- Justin Connell (Argonne National Laboratory, USA)
- Olivier Delaire (Duke University, USA)
- Fudong Han (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA)
- Kelsey Hatzell (Princeton University, USA)
- Yanyan Hu (Florida State University, USA)
- Cheng Ma (University of Science and Technology of China, China)
- Ying Shirley Meng (The University of Chicago, USA)
- Linda F. Nazar (University of Waterloo, Canada)
- Yue Qi (Brown University, USA)
- Yan Wang (Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology-America, USA)
- Thomas Yersak (General Motors, USA)
Symposium Organizers
Hui Wang
University of Louisville
Mechanical Engineering
USA
Yoon Seok Jung
Yonsei University
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Republic of Korea
Brian Sheldon
Brown University
School of Engineering
USA
Hongli Zhu
Northeastern University
Mechanical Engineering
USA
Topics
interface
Li
Na
renewable