The quest for next-generation energy-storage technologies has pivoted towards all-solid-state batteries, primarily owing to their potential for enhanced safety and energy density. At the centre of this promising technology lie inorganic lithium superionic conductors, which facilitate rapid ion transport comparable to that in their liquid counterparts. Despite their promise, the limited availability of materials that both achieve superionic conductivity and fulfil all practical requirements necessitates the discovery of novel conductors. This Review comprehensively explores the diverse structural and chemical factors that improve ionic conductivity and the atomistic mechanism by which each factor affects it. We emphasize the importance of a dual approach: using structural factors to enable high-conducting prototypes, and chemical factors to further optimize the ionic conductivity. From these insights, we distil over 40 years of conductor development history to the key concepts that paved the way for today’s leading superionic conductors. In detailing the trajectory of ionic conduction advancements, this Review not only charts the progress in the field but also proposes a strategic approach for researchers to efficiently innovate with the ultimate goal of realizing the promise of all-solid-state batteries.

对下一代储能技术的追求已转向全固态电池，主要是因为它们具有增强安全性和能量密度的潜力。这项有前途的技术的核心是无机锂超离子导体，它可以促进快速离子传输，与液体同类导体相当。尽管前景广阔，但既能实现超离子导电性又能满足所有实际要求的材料的可用性有限，因此有必要发现新型导体。本综述全面探讨了提高离子电导率的多种结构和化学因素以及每个因素影响它的原子机制。我们强调双重方法的重要性：使用结构因素来实现高导电原型，并使用化学因素来进一步优化离子电导率。根据这些见解，我们将 40 多年的导体发展历史提炼为关键概念，为当今领先的超离子导体铺平了道路。这篇综述详细介绍了离子传导的发展轨迹，不仅描绘了该领域的进展，还为研究人员提出了一种有效创新的战略方法，以实现全固态电池的最终目标。