It is the dendrite formation in lithium batteries that limits the life of the battery and that also contributes to an increased risk of thermal runaway which causes lithium battery fires and/or explosion.

So, anything that reduces the formation of dendrites inside of lithium batteries is something that reduces the risk for thermal runaway and, at the same time, increases the life expectancy of the battery.  

Ongoing research in reducing dendritic formation has never ceased and new results coming from South Korea show some success in this area that may someday be seen in commercial lithium ion batteries and produce the desired improvements:

Dendrite formation in Li-metal batteries successfully tackled - MINING.COM