Research Digest — 2026-07-13¶
Solid Electrolytes: Dendrite & Fracture Mechanics¶
1. Soft lithium dendrites crack hard ceramic electrolytes via hydrostatic stress-driven brittle fracture¶
Source: Nature (ScienceDaily coverage, July 2026) · 📅 2026-07-10 · ↗ Open paper
An interdisciplinary team at Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials (MPI-SusMat) identified the mechanism by which soft Li dendrites penetrate stiff ceramic solid electrolytes. Using cryogenic vacuum characterization and phase field simulations, they showed that hydrostatic stress within dendrites causes brittle fracture of the ceramic — analogous to a continuous waterjet cutting rock — rather than electronic leakage along grain boundaries. This resolves a long-standing debate in the field and points toward strategies like compositional grading to delay fracture.
Relevance to DENG.Group
Directly relevant to Shoutong Jin's phase field simulation work on dendrite growth. The hydrostatic stress-driven fracture mechanism should inform his chemo-electro-mechanical models. Also relevant to Cheng Peng's grain boundary studies — the paper explicitly rules out the grain boundary electronic leakage hypothesis.
2. Reactive Machine Learning Interatomic Potentials for Chemistry and Materials Science¶
Source: Chemical Reviews (acs.chemrev.5c00728, 2026) · 📅 2026-05-20 · ↗ Open paper
Comprehensive Chemical Reviews article covering reactive MLIPs — potentials capable of describing bond breaking and formation. Covers architectures (NEP, MACE, Allegro, etc.), training strategies, and applications including SEI formation, electrolyte decomposition, and interface reactivity.
Relevance to DENG.Group
Essential reference for Yanhao Deng's methodology development. Reactive MLIPs are critical for modeling decomposition and interphase formation at battery interfaces, which is central to the group's interface and electrolyte degradation studies.
Solid-State Battery Interfaces¶
3. Recent Advances in Solid-State Batteries (JACS perspective)¶
Source: Journal of the American Chemical Society (jacs.5c06058, 2026) · 📅 2026-06-01 · ↗ Open paper
A JACS perspective covering advances in both lithium- and sodium-based solid electrolytes. Discusses remaining challenges in achieving long cycle lifetimes and high power density, including interface engineering, mechanical degradation, and processing scalability.
Relevance to DENG.Group
High-impact perspective useful for framing the group's research narrative in papers and proposals. Covers both Li and Na systems relevant to the group's scope.
Halide Electrolytes¶
4. Research Progress on Halide Solid-State Electrolytes: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications¶
Source: Carbon Energy (cey2.70170, 2026) · 📅 2026-06-15 · ↗ Open paper
Comprehensive review of halide solid-state electrolytes covering synthesis methods, ionic conductivity benchmarks, and electrochemical performance. Discusses moisture sensitivity, interphase formation, and long-term chemical stability challenges.
Relevance to DENG.Group
Key reference for Yan Li and Mengke Li. The moisture sensitivity and interphase formation topics connect directly to their simulation studies on halide electrolyte degradation mechanisms.
5. Chemo-electro-mechanical phase-field simulation of interfacial Li dendrite growth¶
Source: Nature Communications (s43246-024-00600-6) · 📅 2026-01-15 · ↗ Open paper
A chemo-electro-mechanical phase field model that reveals how interfacial electronic properties dominate Li dendrite morphology and penetration. The model quantitatively predicts whether dendrites grow along grain boundaries or through bulk electrolyte depending on local electronic/ionic conductivity ratios.
Relevance to DENG.Group
Directly relevant to Shoutong Jin's phase field dendrite work. The coupled chemo-electro-mechanical framework provides a methodological template for his simulations, and the morphology predictions can be validated against his results.
6. Effects of Key Factors on Lithium Dendrite Dissolution and Dead Lithium Formation (Phase Field Study)¶
Source: Batteries (MDPI) 11(11), 413 (2026) · 📅 2026-06-20 · ↗ Open paper
Uses a phase-field model under constant-current discharge conditions to simulate lithium dendrite dissolution and dead lithium formation. Systematically examines the effects of current density, electrolyte concentration, and exchange current density on dissolution dynamics.
Relevance to DENG.Group
Relevant to Shoutong Jin — the dissolution and dead lithium aspects complement the growth-focused models and provide a more complete picture of dendrite lifecycle in solid electrolytes.