Nankai University's new energy materials team has proposed a "catalysis-promoted conduction" mechanism at the electrolyte-electrode interface in solid-state batteries and developed a unique interfacial catalyst. This material effectively reduces the interfacial transport impedance of lithium ions and suppresses the growth of lithium dendrites, enabling all-solid-state lithium batteries to achieve a cycle life exceeding 2,000 cycles at room temperature, thereby accelerating the commercialization of solid-state batteries.

Zhan Shige, Deputy Director of the Department of Chemical Sciences of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Gao Feixue, Director of the Second Division of the Department of Chemical Sciences of NSFC, Li Jinghong, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor at Tsinghua University, Chen Jun, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Vice President of Nankai University, Fang Yongchun, Vice President of Nankai University, Wu Kai, Professor at Peking University, Zhuang Lin, Professor at Wuhan University, Guo Yuguo, Researcher at the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wen Zhaoyin, Researcher at the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xia Yongyao, Professor at Fudan University, Huang Yunhui, Professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Yang Quanhong, Professor at Tianjin University, Cui Guanglei, Researcher at the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yu Yan, Professor at the University of Science and Technology of China, Ren Bin, Professor at Xiamen University, Zhang Qiang, Professor at Tsinghua University, Li Hong, Researcher at the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with more than 60 faculty members and students from Tsinghua University, Xiamen University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Nankai University, attended the meeting. The opening ceremony was presided over by the head of the Scientific Research Department of Nankai University.

Fang Yongchun, on behalf of the university, extended a warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to the experts and leaders in attendance. He pointed out that Nankai University has always adhered to making service to major national strategic needs the primary orientation of its scientific research efforts, continuously increasing investment in basic research and striving to produce more first-class results in original and independent innovation. The successful approval of this major project represents another milestone in Nankai University's research and development in the field of batteries, which will inevitably drive the synergistic development of "new quality productive forces" across the upstream and downstream industrial chain of the battery industry, playing an important role in securing China's competitive advantage in international battery technology and laying a solid foundation for achieving technological self-reliance in the new energy sector and providing technological support for the national "dual carbon" strategy.

Zhan Shige elaborated on the positioning and significance of the NSFC major projects in her speech, highly commending the project's clear scientific objectives and its orientation toward the scientific frontier. She also pointed out the challenges of the project and put forward the "3-in-1" requirements to the project members: integrating goal orientation with frontier exploration, integrating multidisciplinary approaches, and strengthening teamwork.

Li Jinghong chaired the project reporting session. Project leader Chen Jun first provided a detailed report on the overall implementation plan, emphasizing that this project aims to advance China's independent technology roadmap centered on 600 Wh/kg high-energy-density all-solid-state batteries by studying the surface and interface chemistry issues of all-solid-state batteries. Subsequently, Professor Ren Bin, Researcher Zhang Wei from Nankai University, Professor Zhang Qiang, and Researcher Li Hong separately reported on the progress of their respective topics: "Microscopic Laws and Simulation Methods of Ion Transport at All-Solid-State Battery Interfaces," "Failure Mechanism Analysis and Structural Stabilization Strategies for All-Solid-State Battery Interfaces," "Thermal Runaway and Capacity Fade Models of All-Solid-State Batteries under Multi-Field Coupling," and "Design, Fabrication, and In-Situ Electrochemical Performance Analysis of High-Energy-Density All-Solid-State Lithium Batteries."

Zhuang Lin chaired the expert inquiry session. Participating experts engaged in lively discussions on research objectives, technical pathways, theoretical innovation in surface and interface chemistry, and future industrialization prospects. The expert panel highly praised the scientific value and practical significance of the project while also offering numerous constructive suggestions on technical challenges, material innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the realization of 600 Wh/kg all-solid-state battery products.

Gao Feixue summarized the expert remarks, highly commending the project team's progress over the past year and warmly congratulating the successful launch of the kickoff meeting. She reviewed the entire process from project initiation to approval and hoped that the project members would actively interact and strengthen collaboration, further focusing on fundamental scientific issues related to all-solid-state battery surface and interface chemistry. She emphasized the importance of grounding research in basic science to lay a solid foundation for exploring new electrochemical methods, new battery materials, and new energy systems, thereby supporting the industrialization of novel solid-state battery technologies.

Chen Jun, on behalf of all project team members, expressed sincere gratitude to the attending leaders and experts for their support, affirmation, and valuable suggestions. He stated that the core scientific issues of this project represent the most cutting-edge research directions in the new energy field. The project members will continue to advance project implementation with a spirit of solidarity and a pragmatic academic attitude, aiming to achieve innovations in material systems, theoretical mechanisms, and research paradigms targeting fundamental scientific issues of all-solid-state battery surface and interface chemistry, thereby leading the future development of battery technology.

It is reported that the NSFC major project "Fundamental Research on Surface and Interface Chemistry of All-Solid-State Batteries" was successfully approved in 2023, led by Academician Chen Jun, in collaboration with top domestic scientists and research teams including Professor Ren Bin from Xiamen University, Professor Zhang Qiang from Tsinghua University, Researcher Li Hong from the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Professor Bo Shouxing from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The project brings together more than 90 members from five institutions, focusing on fundamental scientific issues in the field of all-solid-state batteries and committed to developing novel solid-state battery technologies with independent intellectual property rights.