General Prelithiation Approaches and the Corresponding Full Cell Design

Prelithiation technology is widely regarded as an effective strategy to enhance the energy density and extend the cycle life of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The principle of prelithiation is to introduce additional active Li⁺, thereby compensating for Li losses during initial charging and long-term cycling. However, the current summaries of various prelithiation approaches are predominantly focused on liquid LIBs, with limited reviews available on solid-state LIBs. Compared to liquid LIBs, solid-state LIBs not only face uniformity issues caused by the uneven mixing of active materials and Li sources during prelithiation, but also encounter severe kinetic challenges arising from rigid solid-solid interface contact. Here, various prelithiation techniques are first integrated and the dynamic correlation between the prelithiation of each component in a full cell and its electrochemical performance is systematically introduced. Furthermore, the challenges of prelithiation techniques in solid-state LIBs in terms of solid-solid interface and Li⁺ transport are discussed. Finally, these prelithiation technologies are expected to be extended to the design of other premetallation agents, which guide the development of high-energy and high-safety energy storage systems.