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FM: Fachverband Funktionsmaterialien

FM 5: Focus Session: Holistic structural and safety assessment of battery materials and cells

FM 5.4: Talk

Monday, March 9, 2026, 15:45–16:00, BEY/0E40

Microstructure of Metal Anodes used in Solid-State Batteries and Strategies for Its Control — •Till Fuchs — Center for Materials Research & Institute of Experimental Physics I, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen

The microstructure of materials fundamentally dictates their mechanical, electrochemical, and transport properties. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) enables direct microscopic visualization of these microstructural features, providing quantitative insight into crystallographic orientation, grain morphology, and defect structures. This technique has become essential for understanding how processing pathways and operational conditions shape functional materials.

In a series of recent studies on lithium metal, we demonstrated how its microstructure can be visualized and conceptualized in detail, how it evolves depending on electrochemical cycling and charging conditions, and how it can be deliberately modified or controlled through the use of engineered interlayers. These findings highlight the interplay between microstructure and performance, and show how EBSD-guided analysis can inform strategies for guiding the growth morphology of alkali metal anodes during operation.

The principles established in lithium metal research are then extended to a broader class of energy materials, including nickel-rich layered oxides (NCM) and solid electrolytes. These systems exhibit their own characteristic microstructural challenges, from anisotropic degradation to cracking and dendrite formation in solid electrolytes.

Keywords: Lithium; Solid-State Batteries; EBSD; Microstructure