Plastic crystal in rubbery matrix for light and safe batteries

Solid-state batteries (SSBs) will provide a transformative leap forward in mobile energy storage while achieving the solid electrolytes with desired properties, and stability is the major bottleneck in SSBs. This preview highlights a novel plastic-crystal-embedded elastomer electrolyte (PCEE) exhibiting a combination of mechanical flexibility, high ionic conductivity, and high cationic transport number. Insights on such PCEEs enabling light and safe lithium-metal batteries as well as traditional misunderstandings related to battery evaluation are also discussed. Solid-state batteries (SSBs) will provide a transformative leap forward in mobile energy storage while achieving the solid electrolytes with desired properties, and stability is the major bottleneck in SSBs. This preview highlights a novel plastic-crystal-embedded elastomer electrolyte (PCEE) exhibiting a combination of mechanical flexibility, high ionic conductivity, and high cationic transport number. Insights on such PCEEs enabling light and safe lithium-metal batteries as well as traditional misunderstandings related to battery evaluation are also discussed.