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3D Printed High-Performance Lithium Metal Microbatteries Enabled by Nanocellulose.
Daxian Cao1, Yingjie Xing1, Karnpiwat Tantratian2
1Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|February 15, 2019
Summary
Researchers developed the first 3D-printed lithium metal batteries (LMBs) using cellulose nanofiber (CNF). This breakthrough enables stable lithium metal anodes and high-performance batteries, overcoming previous fabrication challenges.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Additive Manufacturing
Background:
- 3D printing offers advantages for battery fabrication like miniaturization and custom structures.
- 3D-printed lithium metal batteries (LMBs) have been challenging due to difficulties in printing lithium metal.
- Cellulose nanofiber (CNF) is an abundant biopolymer with unique properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the first fabrication of high-performance 3D-printed lithium metal batteries (LMBs).
- To utilize cellulose nanofiber (CNF) as a printable material for LMB electrodes and scaffolds.
- To investigate the printability and performance of CNF-based LMBs.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of 3D-printed electrodes and scaffolds using CNF gel.
- Theoretical investigation of CNF gel printability.
- Multiscale computational modeling (DFT and phase-field) to analyze lithium deposition.
- Electrochemical testing of full cells with 3D-printed components.
Main Results:
- CNF gel's shear thinning properties enabled printing of LiFePO4 electrodes and stable Li metal scaffolds.
- Porous CNF structure improved ion accessibility and reduced local current density, suppressing dendrite formation.
- Computational models revealed uniform lithium deposition in porous structures.
- A full cell demonstrated a high capacity of 80 mA h g⁻¹ at 10 C with 85% retention after 3000 cycles.
Conclusions:
- Successful fabrication of the first 3D-printed lithium metal batteries (LMBs) using earth-abundant CNF.
- CNF scaffolds effectively suppress lithium dendrites, enhancing battery stability and cycle life.
- The developed 3D printing technique offers a promising pathway for advanced energy storage devices.
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