journal article·2026-02-18

Alloying Strategies for Efficient Lithium–Metal Anodes: Bridging Phase Diagrams, Defect Engineering, and Interfacial Charge Redistribution

Shengchen Yang, Dongdong Li

Advanced Engineering Materials· Volume 28· Issue 4
Publisher page

Abstract

Lithium–metal anodes present significant potential for the advancement of next‐generation high‐energy‐density batteries. Nevertheless, their route to commercialization is obstructed by enduring challenges, such as dendrite growth, unstable solid‐electrolyte interphases (SEIs), and pronounced volume variations. Traditional approaches, including the use of electrolyte additives and artificial SEIs, typically tackle these problems in a piecemeal manner, lacking the ability to integrate interfacial, mechanical, and kinetic stability concerns. This review reconceptualizes lithium alloying strategies as multifunctional systems that incorporate secondary metals (e.g., Mg, Ag, Sb) into lithium matrices, facilitating simultaneous improvements in nucleation consistency, dendrite inhibition, and strain alleviation. Distinct from prior works, three original frameworks are pioneered: 1) phase diagram‐guided alloy design to correlate thermodynamic stability with electrochemical stressors; 2) defect engineering paradigms linking lattice defects to ion transport and stress redistribution; and 3) interfacial charge redistribution at lithium‐alloy boundaries to govern the nucleation and growth processes of lithium deposits. The review methodically analyzes alloying strategies from the perspectives of atomic mechanisms, material innovations, and system‐level integration. By synthesizing multiscale design principles, this work transitions the focus from empirical methods to strategically engineered lithium–metal batteries, aiding their evolution from laboratory settings to the global energy storage arena.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Battery Materials and Technologies · Advancements in Battery Materials · Advanced Battery Technologies Research

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Industrial Solid Waste Thermal Hydrolysis Technology and Intelligent Equipment Department of Materials Chemistry Huzhou University 1 Xueshi Road Huzhou 313000 China

State Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (LoFE) Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM) School of Chemistry and Life Sciences Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications 9 Wenyuan Road Nanjing 210023 China

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China · Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province

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