3D-Printed Energy Storage Devices

Abstract

The increasing demand for multifunctional portable/wearable electronic devices, including wireless sensors and implantable medical devices is continuously growing. Such devices need rechargeable batteries with dimensions on the scale of 1–10 mm3 (few to tens mm2 footprint area of substrate) including all the components and all the associated packing. Thus, in the past decade, along with the developments in battery materials, the focus has been shifting more and more towards innovative fabrication processes, unconventional configurations, and designs with multi-functional components. 3D printing technologies enable a well-controlled creation of functional materials with three-dimensional architectures, representing a promising approach for fabrication of next-generation electrochemical energy storage (EES) devices with high performance due to a higher electrode/electrolyte interfacial area.In this work, we demonstrate a novel design and a novel approach of 3D printing of batteries of different shapes and size by using filaments composed of active electrode materials bound with polymers. The electrodes were printed by fused-filament fabrication (FFF) method. We demonstrated a reversible electrochemical cycling of 3D printed lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and lithium titanate (LTO) composite polymer electrodes vs. lithium metal anode with high performance and capacity in cells containing both conventional non-aqueous and ionic-liquid electrolytes.In addition, the development and fabrication of a novel 3D-printed solid-state or quasi-solid electrolyte by FFF has been accomplished. The electrolytes are composed primarily of polyethylene oxide (PEO) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) which are known ionic conductors, and polylactic acid (PLA) for enhanced mechanical properties and high temperature durability.Our research introduces novel thick-layer 3D batteries, thus reducing cost related to high mass loading per battery footprint of smart 3D structures with the help of low-cost fabrication method.