Developments in flexible lithium batteries and future prospects

A group of Korean scientists has invented a lithium-ion battery that can be folded into a small package. Batteries printed on flexible clothing using 3D printers are expected to be particularly beneficial for supplying power to wearable devices in the future.

Intelligent wearable technologies, such as smart watches and flexible bands, are getting more and more diverse with each passing day. The creation of wearable flexible batteries is one of the challenges being investigated in order to meet the energy requirements of modern technological advancements.

_{SourceFlexible lithium batteries}

Soo Yeong Hong of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology and his colleagues presented a paper in the journal ACS Nano in which they announced that they had constructed a flexible three-dimensional lithium-ion battery. Three-dimensional printers can print the batteries that have been manufactured on a variety of flexible materials.

It was in 1991 that the first lithium-ion batteries were introduced, and their high energy capacity triggered a revolution in the electronics industry. The great capacity of lithium-ion batteries allowed for the portability of computers, the development of MP3 players, and the development of tablets, among other things. In recognition of their contributions to the invention of lithium-ion batteries, John Goodenough, Stanley Whittingham, and Akira Yoshino were awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry in Stockholm.

Several challenges must be addressed in order to make lithium-ion and other traditional batteries more adaptable to changing conditions. For starters, hard and inorganic electrodes, which account for the vast majority of a battery's volume, are notoriously difficult to make flexible. It is also necessary to have a flexible partition dividing the liquid electrolyte into two equal pieces, as well as flexible elements that transmit the electric current. Prevention of liquid electrolyte leakage is another issue that needs to be addressed. All of these problems have been resolved as a result of the efforts of scientists and researchers.

_{SourceFlexible Lithium-ion batteries have a structure that is very recognizable}

The world's first flexible lithium-ion battery was developed with the help of a new flexible organic gel material. The flexible gel not only holds the components that make up the electrodes of the lithium-ion battery in place, but it also facilitates in the exchange of electrically charged particles between the electrodes of the battery. It has also been developed for use in the production of parts that will carry electric current from a flexible raw material, which can be painted on. Researchers have also developed a flexible material that wraps around the entire system and can be seen from the outside. This substance is capable of operating at high voltages and does not absorb liquid electrolyte, hence preserving the integrity of the system.

_{SourceThe flexible battery can also be manufactured directly on a flexible fabric using three-dimensional printer technology}

Four-dimensional printing was used to make the flexible batteries, which are now available for purchase. Due to the fact that the final products are flexible and their shape can change (over time) in the fourth dimension, these printing processes including three-dimensional printers are referred to as four-dimensional printing. According to the company, the batteries are mechanically durable, can be stretched up to 50% of their original length, and do not degrade even after being exposed to direct sunlight for an extended period of time.

_{SourceThe flexible battery that has been developed can continue to power smart watches even when they are being worn, removed, or stretched}

The researchers also used the flexible battery, which was printed on a flexible fabric, to power a smartwatch, which they developed in-house. When the fabric is applied, withdrawn, or stretched, it is hoped that the flexible battery will be able to maintain continuous power.

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References:

• https://www.designnews.com/electronics-test/flexible-lithium-ion-battery-breakthrough
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexible_battery