Fracture Dynamics in Silicon Anode Solid-State Batteries.

Solid-state batteries (SSBs) with silicon anodes could enable improved safety and energy density compared to lithium-ion batteries. However, degradation arising from the massive volumetric changes of silicon anodes during cycling is not well understood in solid-state systems. Here, we use X-ray computed microtomography to reveal micro- to macro-scale chemo-mechanical degradation processes of silicon anodes in SSBs.

Electrochemically reconfigurable architected materials.

Architected materials can actively respond to external stimuli-such as mechanical forces, hydration and magnetic fields-by changing their geometries and thereby achieve novel functionalities. Such transformations are usually binary and volatile because they toggle between 'on' and 'off' states and require persistent external stimuli. Here we develop three-dimensional silicon-coated tetragonal microlattices that transform into sinusoidal patterns via cooperative beam buckling in response to an electrochemically driven silicon-lithium alloying reaction.