A research team has developed a new type of battery component that results in safer and higher-capacity batteries. It can improve lithium metal batteries’ safety, reliability, and electrochemical performance. Their work provides a feasible molecular engineering strategy for developing safe, high-performance lithium metal batteries.
This research was published in the journal Energy Materials and Devices on June 24, 2026.
“Simply put, we aimed to make a safer, thinner, and faster-charging lithium metal battery free of internal short-circuit risks,” said Yin Cui, Sun Yat-sen University. The development of electric vehicles and smart grids has led to a growing demand for batteries that are safer and have greater energy density. Traditional lithium-ion batteries cannot meet these needs. Lithium metal batteries can store far more energy than conventional lithium-ion batteries, but they are dangerous because lithium metal tends to form dendrites that can pierce the separator and trigger internal short circuits.
In recent years, scientists have explored solid-state composite electrolytes. These hold promise as electrolyte systems for solid-state lithium-metal batteries. However, their application in lithium-metal batteries has been restricted because of challenges, such as poor interfacial compatibility between different functional components, low ionic conductivity at room temperature, and difficulty in completely inhibiting the growth of lithium dendrites.
Quasi-solid-state composite electrolytes have distinctive multilayer architectures that allow function customization based on the cathode and anode requirements. Yet the current quasi-solid-state composite electrolytes lack the qualities needed to attract and guide the lithium ions. These electrolytes also work poorly in colder temperatures. There are still significant challenges in the current development of asymmetric quasi-solid-state composite electrolytes.
The research team set out to design a novel organic-inorganic composite electrolyte for longer-lasting, safer batteries. Their core goal was to develop an asymmetric quasi-solid-state composite electrolyte through evaporation-induced self-assembly of molecular brushes and hairy nanoparticles, followed by in situ cationic ring-opening polymerization. “This asymmetric electrolyte can not only achieve intimate interfacial contact with the cathode, but also effectively suppress lithium dendrites growth on the anode side, significantly improving the overall safety, reliability, and electrochemical performance of lithium metal batteries,” said Cui.
The team notes that constructing an asymmetric double-sided electrolyte represents an extremely practical route to developing safe and high-performance lithium metal batteries. Their ultrathin electrolyte (19 μm) has two different functional sides: a rigid ceramic-rich side blocking lithium dendrites physically and a flexible polymer composite side ensuring tight contact with the cathode. These polymer chains on the surface of nanomaterials can evenly distribute lithium ions and simultaneously speed up lithium-ion transfer.
“This design delivers three standout real-world advantages: great ionic conductivity, a high lithium-ion transference number, and stable long-cycle battery life,” said Cui. By integrating 1D molecular brushes and 0D hairy ceramic nanoparticles, the team created a continuous 3D ion transport network. The new material they created helps the charged particles move much more efficiently. This molecular synergy is the core innovation behind their excellent electrochemical data.
The team’s study showed that designing unique asymmetric quasi-solid-state composite electrolytes via molecular engineering is a promising research direction to fundamentally promote lithium-ion conduction and stabilize the lithium anode. This method provides a viable strategy for the practical application of high-performance solid-state lithium-metal batteries.
Looking ahead, the team’s next step is to scale up this fabrication process and test the electrolyte in larger‑format batteries, not just coin cells. They also aim to further optimize the composition to boost ionic conductivity and verify long‑term stability under practical operating conditions, especially during fast charging. “Our ultimate goal is to enable practical, safe lithium metal batteries that outperform today’s lithium‑ion systems in electric vehicles, drones, and portable electronics, especially in cold climates where current batteries struggle. In the longer term, we hope this molecular self‑assembly approach can be adapted to other solid‑state battery chemistries, such as sodium or potassium, broadening the impact beyond lithium,” said Cui.
The research team includes Shenghao Lin, Yin Cui, Guofang Yu, Dongtian Miao, and Dingcai Wu from the School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, and Ruliang Liu from the School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Guangdong University of Education, Guangzhou, China.
This research is funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China; the National Natural Science Foundation of China; the Guangdong Major Project of Basic and Applied Basic Research; the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong; the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, Sun Yat-sen University; the Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou; and the Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Functional Molecular Engineering.
D OI Link:
https://doi.org/10.26599/EMD.2026.9370095
Energy Materials and Devices
Asymmetric quasi-solid-state composite electrolytes via self-assembly of molecular brushes and hairy nanoparticles for dendrite-free lithium metal batteries
24-Jun-2026