Bridging Atomic and Macroscopic Perspectives on Heteroepitaxial\nGrowth in Lithium Metal Anodes

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