Fracture behavior in battery materials

Abstract

The fracture of battery materials is one of the main causes of battery degradation. This issue is further amplified in emerging solid-state batteries, where the more robust interface between the liquid electrolyte and solid electrode in conventional batteries is replaced by a brittle solid–solid interface. In this review, we summarize the observed fracture behavior in battery materials, the origin of fracture initiation and propagation, as well as the factors that affect the fracture processes of battery materials. Both experimental and modeling analyses are presented. Finally, future developments regarding the quantification of fracture, the interplay of chemo-mechanical factors, and battery lifespan design are discussed along with a proposed theoretical framework, in analogy to fatigue damage, to better understand battery material fracture upon extended cycling.