High-Performance Cable-Type Flexible Rechargeable Zn Battery Based on MnO₂@CNT Fiber Microelectrode.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Linear-shaped batteries are gaining attention due to their omni-directional flexibility.
• One-dimensional architectures enable unique device designs for portable electronics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a flexible, rechargeable zinc-manganese dioxide (Zn-MnO2) cable microbattery.
• To evaluate its electrochemical performance and flexibility for potential applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a cable-type microbattery using a MnO2@carbon nanotube composite cathode and zinc wire anode.
• Testing of electrochemical properties, including capacity, rate performance, and cyclic stability.
• Investigation of different zinc salt electrolytes (small vs. bulky anions).

Main Results:

• The Zn-MnO2 cable microbattery demonstrated high specific capacity (322 mAh/g with aqueous electrolyte) and specific energy (437 Wh/kg).
• Excellent flexibility was observed, allowing the battery to be folded without performance degradation.
• Good rate performance and cyclic stability were achieved.

Conclusions:

• This work presents the first flexible rechargeable Zn-MnO2 cable-like battery.
• The developed microbattery offers a promising approach for high-performance power sources in portable and wearable electronics.