Bridging Atomic and Macroscopic Perspectives on Heteroepitaxial Growth in Lithium Metal Anodes

Studying lithium growth on diverse substrates with unique crystal structures is crucial for linking atomic and macroscopic views, which ensures a long cycle life and safety in lithium metal batteries. This work provides explanations on (1) the stages of nucleation, which are influenced by the adsorption-relaxation mechanism, (2) acquiring evolved traits of dendritic morphology from the embryo, and (3) the integration of the atomic and macroscopic perspectives through a variety of techniques at different scales to validate dendrite evolution. The heteroepitaxial growth process of the embryos is divided into two principal stages: nucleation and growth. The adsorption-type substrates exhibit characteristics of relatively lower average interaction energy and specific stress energy during the nucleation stage. At the growth stage, the adsorption-type substrate tends to facilitate multilayer growth. This work provides potential to design and material selection for lithium metal batteries, contributing to the development of safer, more efficient, and longer-lasting energy storage systems.