- Yin, Lu;
- Scharf, Jonathan;
- Ma, Jessica;
- Doux, Jean-Marie;
- Redquest, Christopher;
- Le, Viet L;
- Yin, Yijie;
- Ortega, Jeff;
- Wei, Xia;
- Wang, Joseph;
- Meng, Ying Shirley
The rise of flexible electronics calls for cost-effective and scalable
batteries with good mechanical and electrochemical performance. In this work,
we developed printable, polymer-based AgO-Zn batteries that feature
flexibility, rechargeability, high areal capacity, and low impedance. Using
elastomeric substrate and binders, the current collectors, electrodes, and
separators can be easily screen-printed layer-by-layer and vacuum-sealed in a
stacked configuration. The batteries are customizable in sizes and capacities,
with the highest obtained areal capacity of 54 mAh/cm2 for primary
applications. Advanced micro-CT and EIS were used to characterize the battery,
whose mechanical stability was tested with repeated twisting and bending. The
batteries were used to power a flexible E-ink display system that requires a
high-current drain and exhibited superior performance than commercial coin-cell
batteries. The developed battery presents a practical solution for powering a
wide range of electronics and holds major implications for the future
development of practical and high-performance flexible batteries.