Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40813617›Full record

ArticleNature chemistry2026

Nucleation processes at interfaces with both substrate and electrolyte control lithium growth.

Zeyu Hui, Sicen Yu, Shen Wang, Gayea Hyun, John Holoubek, Ke Zhou, Jenny Nicolas, Mengchen Liu, Qiushi Miao, Shuangjie Tan and 5 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Nature chemistry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Two roads to lithium nucleation.Nature chemistry · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Zeyu Hui *Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Sicen Yu *Program of Material Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Shen WangAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3826-4397
Gayea HyunAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
John HoloubekAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0015-4512
Ke ZhouAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Jenny NicolasProgram of Material Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-6455-6669
Mengchen LiuAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Qiushi MiaoProgram of Material Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Shuangjie TanAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6851-4313
Victoria PetrovaProgram of Material Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Haichen LinProgram of Material Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Jianbin ZhouAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Haodong LiuAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Ping LiuAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. piliu@ucsd.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1488-1668

Funding

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) PNNL-595241
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Understanding the lithium nucleation and growth process is crucial for improving lithium metal battery performance. Here we investigate the roles of the lithium-electrolyte and lithium-substrate interfaces during the lithium nucleation process. Using a physics-based model, we identify which of the two interfaces controls lithium nucleation for different electrolytes and substrates. Sluggish lithium transport through the solid-electrolyte interphases (SEIs) and slow charge-transfer kinetics make the nucleation process SEI controlled and substrate independent, while substrate properties control lithium nucleation in a system having fast SEI transport and charge-transfer reactions. For substrate-controlled nucleation, we derive a model that elucidates the need for fast lithium adatom velocity along the substrate that outpaces the critical nuclei formation. We also reveal that lithium nucleation modes have a strong impact on lithium plating/stripping reversibility. Simultaneous fast transport through the SEIs and fast lithium adatom movement on the substrate are essential for achieving dense lithium deposition and long-cycle-life lithium metal batteries.

Identifiers

PMID40813617

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.