-Innovative Au–F interfacial layer resolves key challenge in anode-free solid-state batteries
-Successfully suppresses lithium dendrite growth — a major breakthrough for commercialization
-Featured as the cover article in Advanced Energy Materials (Impact Factor 26.0)

▲ From left: Jung-In Son, Dongguk University; Seung-Hyun Hong, Kookmin University; and Yeo-Jeong Jang, Dongguk University

Dongguk University (President Jae-Woong Yoon) announced that Professor Jeongin Son from the Department of Physics, in collaboration with Professor Seunghyun Hong from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Kookmin University, has developed a thermodynamically stable gold-fluorine (Au–F) interfacial layer that addresses one of the most critical challenges in anode-free solid-state lithium metal batteries—non-uniform lithium deposition and dendritic growth.

The research, titled "Thermodynamically-Favorable Tailored Au–F Interface for Uniform Lithium Deposition in Anode-Free Solid-State Batteries," was published in the September 2025 issue of Advanced Energy Materials (Impact Factor: 26.0, JCR top 3.5%), a leading journal in the fields of physics, materials science, and nanotechnology. Recognizing the significance of the findings, the article was selected as the cover paper for the issue.

Anode-free solid-state lithium metal batteries are gaining attention as next-generation high-energy-density batteries, as they eliminate conventional anode materials and use only a copper current collector. However, a major limitation has been the lattice mismatch between lithium and copper, which leads to non-uniform initial lithium deposition, triggering the formation of dendrites that degrade efficiency and cause lithium loss. In this context, developing interfacial engineering techniques to guide uniform lithium growth has become essential.

The joint research team successfully overcame this challenge by introducing a gold-fluorine interfacial layer, which promotes thermodynamically favorable lithium nucleation and deposition.

Professor Son stated, “In anode-free solid-state batteries, the uniform deposition of lithium plays a critical role in improving both interfacial stability and battery performance. The Au–F interfacial layer we developed effectively reduces the energy barrier for lithium nucleation and enables precise control of ion diffusion, fundamentally suppressing dendrite formation.”

He further added, “This approach induces a layered and uniform lithium deposition, resulting in high capacity retention and excellent Coulombic efficiency. Ultimately, this innovation is expected to significantly accelerate the commercialization of next-generation high-performance anode-free solid-state batteries.”

This research was supported by the Nano and Material Technology Development Program and the Mid-Career Researcher Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT).