Harvard develops technology to "print" lithium-ion batteries with 3D printers

Real heartYaHouseAlthough there is nothing that can not be "printed" with a 3D printer, research teams at Harvard University and the University of Illinois succeeded in developing technology to print a lithium ion battery with a thinner size than a hair with a 3D printer We announced that.

Printing Tiny Batteries: Wyss Institute at Harvard
http://wyss.harvard.edu/viewpressrelease/114

With the development of microfabrication technology, minimal medical equipment, small insect robot, cameras and microphones that can be embedded in eyeglasses, etc. have been developed, but power supply to these devices is limited by thin film Mostly using electrodes molded into. With this method, the material is so thin that it can not store enough energy and as a result, the problem is that the battery will remain large even though the device can be downsized.

That breakthrough was a microfabrication technology using 3D printers. The research team realizes high performance by improving the processing accuracy of 3D printers and at the same time developing scientifically and electrically superior functional inks. In order to perform fine molding and to operate as a battery, it is characterized by softness such that toothpowder powder is pushed out from a tube and characteristics of keeping its shape by being cured immediately afterwards and having electrical characteristics as an electrode of a battery Characteristics for fulfilling the functions of these are required.

In the following movie, you can see that special ink is injected from the tip of the nozzle in a very thin state of 30 micron (0.03 mm) to form a comb-shaped electrode.


In the left part of the illustration, special ink ejected from a purple nozzle is printed in layers and shows the formation of positive and negative electrodes divided into comb-shaped violet and red. In the right part, the printed electrode is housed in a case (green), and an image that works as a battery by filling the electrolyte is shown.


The printed lithium ion battery is very small, but the research team says "It has charge performance, energy density and lifetime that are not different from commonly used similar batteries." Research resultsAdvanced MaterialsIt is supposed to be announced in the magazine and it seems to be a major step toward realization of embedded medical devices and next generation micro robot.