Designing Flexible Lithium-Ion Batteries by Structural Engineering

Abstract

Flexible lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) can be seamlessly integrated into flexible devices, such as flexible displays, wearable devices, and smart cards, to provide power for steady operation under mechanical deformation. An ideal flexible battery should have high flexibility, high energy density, and high power density simultaneously, which are often in conflict with each other. In this Perspective, we analyze the flexible batteries based on structural designs from both the component level and device level. Recent progress in flexible LIBs, including advances in porous structures for battery components, superslim designs, topological architectures, and battery structures with decoupling concepts, is reviewed. In the end, perspectives on the future of flexible batteries are presented and discussed.

An Interface‐Bridged Organic–Inorganic Layer that Suppresses Dendrite Formation and Side Reactions for Ultra‐Long‐Life Aqueous Zinc Metal Anodes

“…Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used in electric vehicles and portable electronic applications for their outstanding electrochemical performance. [1][2][3][4][5] However,c onventional LIBs suffer from safety issues due to the usage of flammable/explosive organic electrolytes. [6,7] Therefore,d eveloping safer energy storage systems are urgently needed.…”

Enhanced Ionic Accessibility of Flexible MXene Electrodes Produced by Natural Sedimentation

“…When conventional LIBs are used in wearable and flexible equipment, the metallic current collectors not only add thickness to the device, but also might be easily deformed, causing the electrode material to detach from the current collector during the bending process, deteriorating the electrochemical performance. Therefore, manufacturing electrodes with excellent mechanical flexibility is one of the key challenges for fabricating flexible LIBs [3,4]. Various materials, such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, and polymers, have been used in freestanding flexible electrodes, as well as electrodes placed on paper or fabrics [5][6][7].…”

High rate hybrid MnO2@CNT fabric anodes for Li-ion batteries: properties and a lithium storage mechanism study by in situ synchrotron X-ray scattering

“…1,2 In the context of the electric mobility, LIBs have widespread use in automobiles and are the benchmark of current efforts for electric aircraft. 3,4 In electric transport, in addition to the ever-increasing need for higher specific energy density, there is particularly strong interest in performance at high rates in order to enable fast charge/discharge, [5][6][7] and in new battery concepts with augmented mechanical properties that provide: improved fatigue resistance and flexibility [8][9][10] , enabled integration into existing structural components, use as load-bearing elements (i.e. structural batteries).…”