The global transition to sustainable energy systems requires breakthroughs in electrochemical storage technologies that are not only safe but also resource efficient. Solid-state batteries (SSBs), which use superionic solid electrolytes (SEs) instead of flammable liquid electrolytes, are at the forefront of this transformation. In general, SEs promise increased safety, access to high-voltage cathode and metal anode chemistries, and new avenues for circular design and recyclability. However, to reach their full potential, intertwined challenges related to ion transport, (electro)chemical stability, manufacturing, processing, and cost must be overcome. This 2026 roadmap on next-generation SEs for battery applications outlines new directions that will contribute to research in the field of SSBs over the next decade. It provides an overview of the current state of the art in sulfide- and halide-based SEs for Li and Na systems, examines post-Li/Na chemistries (K, Mg, and others), and highlights advances in hydroborate, fully reduced (irreducible), and compositionally complex (high-entropy) electrolytes, as well as glass-ceramic electrolytes. Beyond material innovation, the paper emphasizes the critical role of redox activity in SEs, scalable processing, high-throughput synthesis, and machine learning, as well as operando analytics and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to accelerate discoveries and gain a better understanding of structure–property relationships. Finally, the growing importance of recycling and circular design for ensuring sustainability is highlighted. By combining insights from chemistry, materials science, data (computational) science, and manufacturing, this article assumes that future SEs will progressively evolve from passive components to active design elements in high-energy-density electrochemical systems. The integration of multidisciplinary innovations will be crucial to realizing the potential of SSBs in practical technologies that power a decarbonized world.

Mitochondria rely on the efficient import of proteins to maintain their functions and regenerate. The translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (TOM) complex serves as the primary entry point for the import of mitochondrial proteins. Previous studies have established Tom22 as a multifunctional subunit within the complex and reported mechanosensitive gating-like behavior of the TOM complex. In this study, all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of the TOM core complex reveal large motions of the Tom22 helices that are coupled to global structural rearrangements within the complex, particularly with the α2 helix within the Tom40 pore subunit. Microseconds-long simulations with restraints on the Tom22 helices yield an alternative conformation of the α2 helix that is associated with a reduced ion permeability. The outcome corroborates previous experimental results that reported a reduction in calcium ion flux for transiently stalled TOM complexes. These findings provide a molecular view of a mechanism by which Tom22 modulates the pore architecture of Tom40 and regulates permeability, thus linking the receptor dynamics to the functional control of the mitochondrial protein import.

Lithium argyrodite solid electrolytes have attracted ever-increasing attention for all-solid-state batteries due to their high ionic conductivity and low cost. However, the relation between structure and ionic transport for the halogen-rich lithium argyrodites under different synthesis routes is still elusive. Herein, the influence of synthesis procedures, such as annealing conditions and balling milling, on the structure, ionic conductivity, and activation energy of the lithium argyrodite (e.g., Li_5.5PS_4.5Cl_1.5, Li_5.3PS_4.3Cl_1.7), is systematically investigated. Compared with high-energy ball milling followed by annealing, using fast dry mixing followed by annealing can obtain comparable ionic conductivity of the chlorine-rich lithium argyrodites. Single-crystal LiNi_0.83Co_0.11Mn_0.06O₂-based solid-state battery with these electrolytes shows stable cycling performance, demonstrating that chlorine-rich lithium argyrodite is a promising candidate for all-solid-state batteries.