# Grain boundaries control lithiation of solid solution substrates in lithium metal batteries Source: [Grain boundaries control lithiation of solid solution substrates in lithium metal batteries]() Collection index: [llms.txt]() Data updated: 2025-10-25T06:20:20.167Z Authors: Leonardo Shoji Aota, Chanwon Jung, Siyuan Zhang, \\"Omer K. B\\"uy\\"ukuslu, Poonam Yadav, Mahander Pratap Singh, Xinren Chen, Eric Woods, Christina Scheu, Se-Ho Kim, Dierk Raabe, Baptiste Gault Published: 2024-07-12T15:55:53.000Z ## Abstract The development of sustainable transportation and communication systems requires an increase in both energy density and capacity retention of Li-batteries. Using substrates forming a solid solution with body centered cubic Li enhances the cycle stability of anode-less batteries. However, it remains unclear how the substrate microstructure affects the lithiation behavior. Here, we deploy a correlative, near-atomic scale probing approach through combined ion- and electron-microscopy to examine the distribution of Li in Li-Ag diffusion couples as model system. We reveal that Li regions with over 93.8% at.% nucleate within Ag at random high angle grain boundaries, whereas grain interiors are not lithiated. We evidence the role of kinetics and mechanical constraint from the microstructure over equilibrium thermodynamics in dictating the lithiation process. The findings suggest that grain size and grain boundary character are critical to enhance the electrochemical performance of interlayers/electrodes, particularly for improving lithiation kinetics and hence reducing dendrite formation. ## Recorded benchmark results A research result applies to its stated dataset, split, metric and evaluation configuration. Compare like-for-like settings, preserve the metric's unit and direction, and distinguish paper-reported results from independent reproduction. The best result recorded here is not a claim of exhaustive, current global coverage. ## Original sources and implementation [Original paper]() [PDF]()