Atomic layer deposition of yttrium oxide as a protective coating for lithium metal anodes.

Metallic lithium (Li) is considered as one of the highly interesting anode materials for advanced batteries due to its large theoretical capacity, small material density and the high cell voltages that can be obtained in batteries using Li anodes. However, Li dendrite growth and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation emerged during the plating-stripping process, leading to low coulombic efficiency, rapid battery degradation and serious safety issues. These disadvantages form the major challenges towards commercialization.