Intrinsically Stretchable and Printable Lithium-Ion Battery for Free-Form Configuration

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Next-generation wearable and implantable devices require soft, deformable, and printable energy storage solutions.
• Existing batteries often lack the mechanical properties needed for integration into flexible electronics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a fully stretchable lithium-ion battery system for free-form configurations.
• To demonstrate printable energy storage with high performance and mechanical stability.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of intrinsically stretchable electrodes using a functionalized organogel binder and separator.
• Development of stretchable current collectors using nanocomposites with conductive fillers.
• Integration of all battery components (electrodes, current collectors, separators, encapsulants) into a stretchable system.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated various types of stretchable lithium-ion batteries.
• Achieved reliable operation under diverse stretch deformations with performance comparable to non-stretchable batteries (over 2.5 mWh cm⁻² at 0.5 C).
• Demonstrated high performance and stability (stretch/long-term) of printed batteries on fabric, even in air.

Conclusions:

• The developed stretchable battery system is suitable for advanced wearable and implantable applications.
• The printable and stretchable nature of the battery opens new possibilities for free-form energy storage.
• The system offers robust performance and stability under mechanical stress and environmental exposure.