Three-Dimensional Printing for Solid-State Batteries

Abstract

Driven by the urgent need for decarbonization of the economy, the necessity for storage of clean electric energy generated from renewable sources—and increasing growth of the use of portable devices—raise the necessity of new battery systems capable of integration into new devices and substrates, with improved efficiency and energy/power density. In this sense, solid-state batteries associated with printing technologies allow improvement in battery properties including safety, flexibility, cost, eco-friendliness, and complex geometry design; this permits rapid technology transfer. This chapter presents the main printing technologies for solid-state printable batteries together with the state-of-the-art advances for the different battery components developed by printing technologies. Works have mainly focused on ink properties, on the compatibility between different printed layers for the various battery components, and on complex geometries, with novel materials and interface issues also being addressed. There are additional reports on full batteries, but efforts are still required to improve the integration of printed batteries and devices, where the evaluation of the individual components still remains the main focus of study. Future challenges in the area of solid-state printed batteries that are associated with advanced and sustainable materials and processes, among other challenges, are also presented and discussed in this chapter.