Deleterious effects of stack pressure on dendrite propagation A stack pressure (𝜎𝜎 𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 , Fig. ) has been widely used in previous studies, and is observed to increase critical current densities and improve the uniformity of metal deposition. Stack pressures commonly vary from a few to several hundred MPa. A previously unrecognized result, highlighted by Fig. , is that stack pressure is predicted by our model to have a deleterious effect by directing dendrite growth towards the electrode, promoting short-circuiting. Figure shows that, up to several times 𝑃𝑃, increasing stack pressures tend to decrease the propagation angle 𝜃𝜃 and ensure that dendrites will take a direct (rather than tortuous) path to penetrating the cell.