Nanomaterial-Enhanced All-Solid Flexible Zinc−Carbon Batteries (original) (raw)
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Development of flexible zinc–air battery with nanocomposite electrodes and a novel separator
Journal of Energy Chemistry
In this paper, we present the development of flexible zinc-air battery. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were added into electrodes to improve their performance. It was found that MWCNTs were effective conductive additive in anode as they bridged the zinc particles. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) was applied as a co-binder to enhance both the conductivity and flexibility. A poly (acrylic acid) (PAA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) coated paper separator was used to enhance the battery performance where the PVP-PAA layer facilitated electrolyte storage. The batteries remained functional under bending conditions and after bending. Multiple design optimizations were also carried out for storage and performance purposes.
Energy Technology, 2019
It remains important to maximize energy density of wearable batteries. In addition, such batteries should be compliant, safe, and environmentally sustainable. Intrinsically safe zinc-manganese dioxide (Zn/MnO 2) batteries are great candidates for powering wearables. However, achieving flexibility of these systems is hindered by the absence of a binder that ensures mechanical integrity of the MnO 2 electrode composite. Herein, a unique approach to fabricate a mechanically robust MnO 2 electrode is presented. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/ polyacrylic acid (PAA) gel cross-linked in situ via thermal treatment is used as a binder for the electrode. Furthermore, energy density and rate capability of the printed battery electrodes are improved by replacing graphite with single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The batteries retain 93% capacity when the discharge rate is increased from C/10 to C/3, as well as 97% of their capacity after being flexed. In contrast, batteries based on conventional composition retain 60% and 23% of the capacity, respectively. Finally, the battery with the modified electrode has high areal energy density of 4.8 mWh cm À2 and volumetric energy density of 320 mWh cm À3. Fabricating electronics in a flexible wearable format has significant advantages for health monitoring and sensing. [1-5] High-fidelity sensor-skin interfaces improve signal-to-noise ratio through the intimate contact of the device and body. [1,6,7] In addition, ability to wear the devices directly on the skin can enable continuous monitoring of metabolites in bodily fluids like sweat. [8-11] Standalone operation of such electronic systems cannot be realized without power source, such as a battery. [12-15] If the battery is not equally compliant, it will negate the advantages of these flexible devices. Thus, flexible batteries play an important role in achieving the vision of wearable and conforming electronics. In addition to being compliant, such a battery has to meet the energy and power requirements of the wearable systems, to be safe and environmentally sustainable. Batteries based on zinc (Zn) are widely explored for powering wearable devices, due to high safety and environmental friendliness. Zn-air being one of the attractive options, due to its high theoretical energy density. [16,17] Innovations in materials' design were used to achieve good electrochemical and mechanical performance of these batteries. Up-to-date, growing catalyst nanomaterials onto the carbon cloths, [18-21] carbon fiber films, [22,23] nanowire arrays, [24] graphene materials, [25,26] and carbon nanotube (CNT) structures [27-29] have been demonstrated. These approaches enable freestanding flexible electrodes and also ensure high accessibility of catalytic sites and a low contact resistance. Among mainstream battery chemistries with low-cost and well-established material production routs, zinc-manganese dioxide (Zn/MnO 2) is well suited for the purpose. [16] Due to its characteristics such as low material costs, high energy density, and exceptional safety, it has been widely commercialized in the rigid cylindrical format by Duracell ® , for example. In a commercial system, Zn paste and MnO 2 paste are tightly packed in the can, which serves a dual function of casing and a current collector. Once removed from the rigid can, such paste-like electrodes disintegrate. Thus, achieving flexibility of Zn/MnO 2 system requires new engineering approaches. To date, there have been few demonstrations of flexible Zn/MnO 2 batteries. [15,30-42] Several used commercially available materials with innovative components revolving around device design, [15,30-33,37-39] whereas other relied on the novel materials' synthesis, where materials are intrinsically flexible. [34-36] Zhi et al. demonstrated innovative approaches to fabricate rechargeable Zn/MnO 2 batteries for wearables. [40-42] Batteries
Comparative Review on the Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries (AZIBs) and Flexible Zinc-Ion Batteries (FZIBs)
Nanomaterials
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been considered an easily accessible battery technology because of their low weight, cheapness, etc. Unfortunately, they have significant drawbacks, such as flammability and scarcity of lithium. Since the components of zinc-ion batteries are nonflammable, nontoxic, and cheap, AZIBs could be a suitable replacement for LIBs. In this article, the advantages and drawbacks of AZIBs over other energy storage devices are briefly discussed. This review focused on the cathode materials and electrolytes for AZIBs. In addition, we discussed the approaches to improve the electrochemical performance of zinc batteries. Here, we also discussed the polymer gel electrolytes and the electrodes for flexible zinc-ion batteries (FZIBs). Moreover, we have outlined the importance of temperature and additives in a flexible zinc-ion battery. Finally, we have discussed anode materials for both AZIBs and FZIBs. This review has summarized the advantages and disadvantages of AZ...
Fabrication of a High-Performance Flexible Silver–Zinc Wire Battery
wearable technologies. Wire structured zinc-air and zinc-carbon aqueous batteries with capacities of 0.9 and 0.18 mAh cm −1 respectively have been recently demonstrated. However, the primary nature of these batteries is a limitation for garments and jewelry. Silver-zinc battery chemistry is another alternative based on an aqueous electrolyte. In addition to being nonvolatile and rechargeable, the silver-zinc chemistry provides energy density comparable to that of commercially available Li-ion batteries. Nevertheless, its widespread use is hindered by such shortcomings as the high cost of silver, lower operating voltage, and limited cycle life compared to its Li-ion counterparts. Despite of these limitations, it can be a good energy storage alternative for integration with smart garments, where safety and energy density are of the primary importance and the lifetime of the battery is comparable with the lifetime of the garment. To date, there are few reports on wearable primary and secondary silver-zinc batteries with planar configuration. Rechargeable systems show cycling or areal capacity limitations despite of innovative manufacturing approaches. The stretchable silver-zinc battery has a low areal capacity of 0.11 mAh cm −2 while the epidermal tattoo battery with areal capacity of 1.3-2.1 mAh cm −2 is stable only over 13 cycles.
High Power Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries for Customized Electronic Devices
ACS Nano, 2018
Wireless electronic devices require small, rechargeable batteries that can be rapidly designed and fabricated in customized form factors for shape conformable integration. Here, we demonstrate an integrated design and manufacturing method for aqueous zinc-ion batteries composed of polyaniline (PANI)-coated carbon fiber (PANI/CF) cathodes, laser micromachined zinc (Zn) anodes, and porous separators that are packaged within three-dimensional printed geometries, including rectangular, cylindrical, Hand nd ring-shapes. The PANI/CF cathode possesses high surface area and conductivity giving rise to high rate (∼600 C) performance. Due to outstanding stability of Zn-PANI batteries against oxygen and moisture, they exhibit long cycling stability in an aqueous electrolyte solution. As exemplar, we demonstrated rechargeable battery packs with tunable voltage and capacity using stacked electrodes that are integrated with electronic components in customized wearable devices.
A Review of Inactive Materials and Components of Flexible Lithium-Ion Batteries
Advanced Sustainable Systems, 2017
Relatively high power and energy density, nominal operating voltage of typically 3.7 V, absence of memory effects, and long cycle life have popularized lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) as a major electrical energy storage system. [1-8] Although LIBs' energy density is lower than that of fossil fuels, [9] they are Flexible Li-ion batteries (LIBs) have a strong oncoming consumer market demand for use in wearable electronics, flexible electronics, and implantable medical devices. This market demand necessitates research on flexible LIBs to fulfill the energy requirements of these devices. One of the main areas of research of flexible LIBs is the active and inactive materials used in manufacturing these batteries. Active materials are those used in the battery electrodes to store lithium in their structure. The remaining materials in flexible LIBs, which do not directly contribute to energy storage, are inactive materials. Inactive materials and components-including electrode conductive materials, binders, separator, current collectors, electrolyte, and casing/ packaging-make up almost 60% of the total weight of a LIB. Thus, they are important in the determination of energy and power density of flexible LIBs. This study reviews the inactive materials and components of flexible LIBs from two aspects. First, inactive materials and components used in flexible LIBs and their properties are compared. Then, the compatibility and stability of inactive materials and components are discussed. Overall, this article gives an extensive insight to researchers on inactive materials and components employed so far for flexible LIBs.
Polymeric Nanoscale All-Solid State Battery
MATERIALS RESEARCH SOCIETY …, 2001
The advent of polymer electrolytes has provided a promising route to an all solidstate polymer battery. Such a battery would have greater safety, without potential discharge of liquid or gel electrolyte. Current battery configurations typically involve a metal anode, a solvent-plasticized polyelectrolyte, such as poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO), and a composite cathode. We have synthesized an A/B/C triblock copolymer which could have potential use as an all-solid state nanoscale polymer lithium battery. The polymeric battery was synthesized with an anode, electrolyte and cathode by synthesizing an A/B/C triblock copolymer whose microphase separation would form lamellar domains. These nanodomains contain cobalt oxide, a derivative of PEO synthesized by ring opening metathesis polymerization, and a spinel phase LiMn 2 O 4 as the anode, electrolyte and cathode material, respectively. The first block contains cobalt oxide that stores lithium ion in a novel electrochemical reaction that allows use in a battery configuration. The second block is polyethylene oxide derived from an unsaturated crown ether, and is used for its high ionic conductivity. The third block contains LiMn 2 O 4 , which is currently being investigated as a potential cathode material because of its low toxicity and ease of preparation. The nanometer size domains in the battery can be used in unique applications in microelectronics. In addition, such size scale allows use of the battery in discrete circuits, reducing the amount of wiring necessary in conventional battery configurations.
Green Energy Storage Materials: Advanced Nanostructured Materials For Lithium-ion Batteries
The projected doubling of world energy consumption in the next fifty years requires certain measures to meet this demand. The ideal energy provider is reliable, efficient, with low emissions source -wind, solar, etc. The low carbon footprint of renewables is an added benefit, which makes them especially attractive during this era of environmental consciousness. Unfortunately, the intermittent nature of energy from these renewables is not suitable for the commercial and residential grid application, unless the power delivery is 24/7, with minimum fluctuation. This requires intervention of efficient electrical energy storage technology to make power generation from renewable practical.
The effect of binder and electrolyte on the performance of thin zinc-air battery
Electrochimica Acta, 2012
The performance of a flexible, thin-film, zinc-air battery can be improved significantly if using a sodium silicate as a novel inorganic binder pigment for the anode components. Formulations consisting of zinc and carbon in sodium silicate are applied onto various substrates (glass or indium tin oxide) by casting and printing methods. Film properties such as mechanical stability, surface resistivity, surface conductivity, surface morphology, thickness and the metal content were correlated to the composition of the films. Prototype batteries were prepared by connecting those anodes to poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)based air cathode and the electrochemical conversion efficiencies were determined in 1 mol/dm 3 sodium chloride and basic 8 mol/dm 3 lithium chloride (pH = 11) electrolyte solutions. X-ray powder diffraction, Xray tomography and scanning electron microscopy examinations were applied to study the conversion process. The results show that silicate binders perform better than polycarbonate binders, and using highly concentrated lithium chloride electrolyte further enhances performance compared to sodium chloride. Electrochemical conversion efficiencies of over 90% are achieved when related to the applied metal. Since no organic solvents are needed, the aqueous, silicate-based binder has potential as and environmentally friendly formulation for printed zinc-air batteries.