# Materials design for thermally improved safety in lithium-ion batteries

## TL;DR

This paper explores how material design can improve the thermal safety of lithium-ion batteries to prevent overheating and thermal runaway.

## Contribution

The paper highlights novel material innovations that synergistically manage thermal and electrochemical processes in lithium-ion batteries.

## Key findings

- Material design can stabilize the electrochemical environment and reduce localized overheating.
- Recent advances in thermal management materials improve battery safety and performance.
- Current challenges and future directions for high-safety lithium-ion batteries are identified.

## Abstract

With the ever-increasing demand for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in multiscale energy storage, safety concerns have emerged as critical obstacles hindering their widespread application. The excess heat generated during the electrochemical process, if not properly managed, can accumulate and accelerate the aging of key cell components, potentially leading to catastrophic thermal runaway events such as fires and explosions. Thus far, considerable attention has been devoted to alleviating intense thermal runaway through fire-safe materials and energy-intensive thermal management technologies. However, the stabilization of the electrochemical environment through intrinsic thermal dissipation and temperature regulation governed by key material design has received comparatively little consideration. This paper aims to summarize the mechanism of thermal runway and highlight material advances for safer LIBs, with particular emphasis on the thermal-electrochemical synergy in mitigating localized overheating, stabilizing the electrochemical environment, and improving electrochemical performance. Subsequently, recent research progress in thermal management materials and strategies for dynamic temperature regulation is reviewed. Finally, current challenges are discussed, and future directions are proposed for material innovations that can be applied to high-energy-density and high-safety LIBs.

Material advances in key cell components and external thermal management for improving lithium-ion battery safety.