Batteries can be integrated into any surface
Thermal Interface Materials 2015-2025 Scientists in Korea have discovered a new technique for printing batteries on the surface of almost any object. This discovery has resulted in a new class of printable solid-state Lithium-ion batteries (called PRISS Batteries)
Lead by Professor Sang-Young Lee from Korean Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology this technology could find its way into flexible electronics and smart clothing. The researchers have published a paper on the new PRISS Li-ion batteries in a recent issue of Nano Letters and in the abstract they state that forthcoming flexible/wearable electronic devices with shape diversity and mobile usability garner a great deal of attention as an innovative technology to bring unprecedented changes in our daily lives.
From the power source point of view, conventional rechargeable batteries (one representative example is a lithium-ion battery) with fixed shapes and sizes have intrinsic limitations in fulfilling design/performance requirements for flexible/wearable electronics. Through a simple stencil printing process (followed by ultraviolet (UV) cross-linking), solid-state composite electrolyte (SCE) layers and SCE matrix-embedded electrodes are consecutively printed on arbitrary objects of complex geometries, eventually leading to fully integrated, multilayer-structured PRISS batteries with various form factors far beyond those achievable by conventional battery technologies.
Printed and Flexible Sensors 2015-2025 Professor Lee states, “All battery components, such as cathodes, anodes and electrolytes, can be printed on arbitrary objects of complex geometries, thereby enabling the seamless integration of shape-conformable solid-state rechargeable batteries with various form factors into complex-shaped objects. We envision that the printable battery presented herein holds a great deal of promise for potential use in forthcoming wearable electronics and IoTs (Internet of Things), which eventually removes pre-designated battery space with fixed dimension and shape.” The schematic image on the left shows the typical manufacturing of Li-ion batteries with “Conventional Design”. The images on the right-hand side show the manufacturing of printable Li-ion batteries with “Shape-Conformable Design”. PRISS batteries could be printed onto glass, paper, plastic etc. for flexible power sources with exceptional shape conformability and aesthetic versatility.