Towards smart free form-factor 3D printable batteries

Abstract

Continuous novelty as the basis for creative advance in rapidly developing different form-factor microelectronic devices requires seamless integrability of batteries. Thus, in the past decade, along with developments in battery materials, the focus has been shifting more and more towards innovative fabrication processes, unconventional configurations, and designs with multi-functional components.We present here, for the first time, a novel concept and feasibility study of a 3D-microbattery printed by fused-filament fabrication (FFF). The reversible electrochemical cycling of 3D printed lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and lithium titanate (LTO) composite polymer electrodes vs. the lithium metal anode has been demonstrated in cells containing conventional non-aqueous and ionic-liquid electrolytes. We believe that by using comprehensively structured interlaced electrode networks it would be possible not only to fabricate free form-factor batteries but also to alleviate the continuous volume changes occurring during charge and discharge.

Additive manufacturing for energy storage: Methods, designs and material selection for customizable 3D printed batteries and supercapacitors

“…Solidification of each layer is principally based on crystallization and chain entanglement of the polymer, however, addition of additive materials can affect the properties and solidification process of the matrix polymer. Common additives used in polymer matrix for EESDs are various conductive materials like ABS/graphene [26], ABS/carbon [27], PLA/graphene [28] and even PLA/LTO/carbon and PLA/LFP/carbon [29]* which are essential for electrode fabrication in lithium ion batteries. A good example is a recent study [30]** where three conductive agents (Super-P, MWCNTs, graphene) and two active materials (Lithium titanate, lithium manganese oxide) were blended with PLA to test the printability, conductivity and charge storage capacity of the new composite.…”

Evolution of 3D Printing Methods and Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage

“…[83] Most frequently used anode active materials in 3D printed Li-ion batteries are graphite, graphene, and lithium titanate (Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 , LTO). [46,52,64,70,108,109] Polymer binders and matrices used for preparation of printable compositions can be thermoplastic polymers (e.g., PLA and ABS), functionalized cellulose, PVDF or aqueous GO. [64,70,108,110] A representative work describing the preparation of highly loaded (up to 62.5 wt%) graphite-PLA conductive composites used as filaments for FDM 3D printing of Li-ion battery negative electrodes was published by Maurel et al [70] Such a high graphite content naturally caused brittleness of produced samples and required the addition of plasticizers (at least 20 wt% and less than 60 wt%) in order to be printable by FDM method.…”

“…As in the case of anode materials, polymer binders and conductive additives can also be included in the printable composition to achieve the required conductivity, mechanical and rheological properties of the cathode material. [46,52,[108][109][110][111] Most of the considerations previously discussed for 3D printing of metal oxides and LIB anode materials are also true for LIB cathode materials. The difference between theoretical capacity of active materials and the obtained values along with the poor C-rate performance, commonly reported in connection with polymer-based composites and material extrusion 3D printing techniques, can be explained by insufficient electronic and ionic conductivity of the printed materials due to complete isolation of some amount of conductive materials within polymer matrix.…”

“…The initial reports using ME, MJ, and VAT-P, commonly referred to as FDM, IJP and stereolithographic apparatus (SLA), respectively, have been used to fabricate substrates, thin film electrodes and electrolytes in half-cell and full-cell Li-batteries. As shown in Figure 7, the majority of systems reported so far are half-cell Li-batteries using electrodes mainly involving graphene, [115][116][117] Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 , [118] SnO 2 , [119] MnO 2 , [120] Si [121] as anodes, as well as LiFePO 4 [118,122,123] and LiCoO 2 cathodes; [124,125] the handful of full-cell 3D printed Li-electrodes focused on lithium iron phosphate cathode and lithium titanate anode. [31,126,127] Compared to ME and MJ methods, we are aware of just one report (at the time of writing) using the VAT-P method to print Li-battery electrodes.…”

Additive Manufacturing of Batteries

“…Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 and LiFePO 4 are the most commonly used anode and cathode materials in 3D‐printed batteries, exhibiting a minimal volumetric expansion, high rate capability, high stability, and security. In recent years, an increasing number of studies on the 3D printing of LTO/LFP‐based electrodes have been reported . The first 3D‐interdigitated microbattery architectures (3D‐IMA) with LTO/LFP materials were developed by the Lewis Group .…”