York, MaryAs countries across the globe pledge to decrease their carbon footprint, the demand for sustainable resources has grown drastically. An increase in the energy density of electrochemical energy storage devices would advance the use of low-carbon electrical energy sources. Successful implementation of a metallic anode may allow for this increase; however, alkali metal electrodes are hindered by their reactive nature and instability at the electrode-electrolyte interface. These challenges extend to both liquid and solid electrolytes, though integration of solid electrolytes shows promise of obtaining higher energy batteries. The solid metal electrode-solid electrolyte interface is largely unexplored, but we have determined that the application of stack pressure allows for increased cyclability in all solid-state cells. Further, it is of utmost importance to achieve a pristine interface through heat treatment and polishing procedures. Data found in the literature is difficult to compare; thus, careful reporting of experimental conditions is important to efficient advancement of research.enThesisEnergybatteriesmetallic anodesodium metalsolid electrolytesolid-state battery