Thin Film Li-Ion Microbatteries Using Self-Supported Titania Nanotubes

Abstract

Nowadays, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used to power portable devices, microelectronics, vehicles, etc. With many advantages such as high surface area and improved charge transport, self-supported 3-D nanostructured metal oxides are promising electrode materials for LIBs and their impact is particularly significant when considering the miniaturization of energy storage systems and the development of 3D microbatteries [1-3]. During this talk, it will be presented the fabrication and use of materials derived from self-organized titania nanotubes (TiO2nts) as negative 3D self-supported electrodes for microbatteries [4–8]. This kind of 3D nanostructured electrodes is particularly interesting due to better electrochemical performance in terms of kinetics and stability during cycling. Then, the fabrication of an all-solid-state Rocking-chair battery composed of vertical arrays of TiO2nts as anode, a polymer thin film as electrolyte, and a LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) layer as cathode will be shown [9]. According to the electrochemical tests, this 2D full-solid microbattery showing an operating voltage of 2.1V exhibits high performance such as good discharge capacity and good capacity retention. Finally, the current approaches developed to achieve the fabrication of a full 3D microcell will be highlighted. Particularly, the conformal electrodeposition of polymer electrolytes into tha titania nanotubes and their potential filling will be discussed [10-12].