What about the new lithium battery? Stretchable, printable and perfect fit wearable device

According to reports, a research team in South Korea has developed a soft, scalable and mechanically deformable lithium battery. The battery can be used in the development of wearable devices, and the researchers also analyzed this possibility by printing batteries on the surface of clothing.

The project was carried out by a research team led by Dr. Jeong Gon Son of the (KIST) soft Hybrid Materials Research Center of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology. All materials for lithium batteries, including anodes, cathodes, collectors, electrolytes and sealants, are stretchable and printable. The lithium battery developed by the team has high capacity and free form characteristics suitable for mechanical deformation.

Due to the rapid growth in demand for high-performance wearable devices (such as smart bracelets, pacemakers and other implantable electronic devices, as well as soft wearable devices used in the real and virtual world), a soft and stretchable battery has been developed. Such as human skin and organs have always been of interest to scientists.

The hard inorganic electrode of the traditional battery constitutes most of the volume of the battery, so it is difficult to stretch. Other components, such as diaphragms and collectors for charge extraction and transfer, must also be stretchable and liquid electrolyte leakage must also be addressed.

To improve ductility, the team avoided using materials already done in other studies, which are unnecessary for energy storage, such as rubber. Then, on the basis of the existing adhesive materials, a new type of soft and stretchable organic gel material was developed and applied. This material firmly holds the active electrode material in place and promotes ion transfer.

In addition, conductive inks are made of materials with excellent stretching and gas resistance. The material will act as a current collector to transfer electrons and encapsulation and work stably even at high voltage and several deformed states without expanding due to electrolyte absorption.

It is said that all the components of the team's stretchable lithium-ion battery are mechanically stable and can maintain their performance, high stretchability of 1000 or more, and long-term stability in the air even after repeated stretching of the battery for 50 or more times. Moreover, under the driving voltage of 3.3V or more, its energy storage density (about 2.8mWh/cm2) is similar to that of hard lithium ion batteries on the market.

In addition, the research team printed the electrode and collector material they developed directly on both sides of the spandex warm arm and coated the material with a stretchable sealant, demonstrating the ability to print stretchable high-pressure organic batteries directly on clothing. Using the resulting battery, the research team was able to continuously power the smartwatch, even when it was put on, removed or stretched.

Dr. Son of KIST says his team has developed a stretchable lithium-ion battery technology that provides structural freedom through the free-form configuration of the battery, as well as printing it on materials such as fabric, and material freedom. Can use existing lithium-ion battery materials, in addition to achieve high energy density and mechanical deformation of tensile stability. This product is expected to be used in the development of a variety of wearable or personal devices.