Lithium metal batteries (LMBs), that use pure lithium (Li) for their negative electrodes, are attracting significant attention due to their extremely high theoretical capacity. However, their practical applications are limited by low cycling stability and safety issues, arising from dendrite formation, electrolyte breakdown and uneven solid-electrolyte interface formation.
Solid-state electrolytes are a promising solution to address these challenges. They offer electrochemical stability, mechanical flexibility and manufacturing advantages. Despite these advantages, their practical implementation is hindered by low ionic conductivity, which impedes lithium-ion mobility and exacerbates interfacial issues with lithium-metal anodes.
Now, a research team led by Professor Mincheol Chang from the Department of Polymer Engineering and the School of Polymer Science and Engineering at Chonnam National University, South Korea, has now developed a new tri-layer composite solid electrolyte (CSE) that enhances ion transport and suppresses dendrite formation in LMBs. Prof. Chang explains "Inspired by the natural adhesive proteins mussels use to stick to rocks, our tri-layer composite incorporates chemically active ceramic fillers with a flexible triblock copolymer, boosting ionic conductivity and mechanical strength." Their study was published in Volume 38, Issue 43 of Advanced Materials on August 03, 2026.
The proposed tri-layer architecture consists of soft outer layers made of a PEO/lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) matrix surrounding a central hard layer reinforced with polydopamine (PDA)-coated Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) particles as the ceramic additive and poly(ethylene glycol)-block- poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PPP) as a ductile polymeric component. This tri-layered membrane was fabricated through solvent-assisted dispersion, tape casting, thermal lamination, and hot pressing.
The soft outer layers are designed offer intimate contact with electrodes and Li+
