China3D printingNet news on June 23,3D printingSakuu Corporation (formerly KeraCel), an expert in energy storage equipment, has obtained three new patents.
Each patent aims to improve the efficiency and flexibility of the company’s multi-material additive manufacturing capabilities for 3D printed solid-state batteries.
The first patent is a new hybrid solid-state battery design with a sealed anode structure. The other two are additive manufacturing systems, one of which can manufacture stacked active devices, such as microreactors and batteries, and the other is an electrophotographic 3D printer.
Electric car being charged.
Sakuu believes that its battery 3D printing technology can open the mainstream adoption of electric vehicles. The photo is from Sakuu Corporation.
Multi-material 3D printing with Sakuu
With the support of Japanese car manufacturer Musashi Seimitsu, Sakuu focuses on 3D printing high-performance solid-state batteries for applications such as electric vehicles. Since changing its name from KeraCel earlier this year, the company has launched its own industrial-grade 3D printer designed for the mass production of electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
The system is called “Sakuu AM Platform” and has multi-material 3D printing capabilities. By combining powder bed technology with material jetting, the machine is able to process ceramics, metals and the company’s own “Poralyte” support material in each layer. According to the company, the Sakuu AM platform can produce solid-state batteries with twice the capacity of conventional batteries while reducing material consumption by half.
Robert Bagheri, founder and CEO of Sakuu, explained: “Solid-state batteries are a holy grail technology, but they are difficult and expensive to manufacture. By leveraging the flexibility and efficiency of our unique and scalable AM process, we are Help battery manufacturers and electric vehicle companies overcome these basic pain points.”
Inside the Sakuu AM platform. The photo is from Sakuu.
Three new patents
Sakuu’s first new patent is a monolithic electrochemical cell casing made of ceramic. The structure has spaces for the anode and cathode, and a separator cut between the two. According to reports, this new housing can achieve a higher charging rate, but does not have the safety issues associated with traditional lithium-ion batteries. This design complements two other patents granted to Sakuu in 2020-one for integrated stack batteries and the other for monolithic solid-state batteries.
Sakuu wrote: “In general, these structures can increase the energy density of solid-state batteries without affecting stability and lifespan.”
The company’s second new patent is a 3D printing system, which enables users to assemble pattern layers on an assembly board into a functional 3D device. It includes a carrier substrate that distributes layers of material (individually 3D printed) into stacks to create active devices, such as solid-state batteries that reduce material usage and weight.
Finally, the third new patent is a 3D printer based on electrophotography (also known as xerography). The imaging process is commonly used in photocopiers, fax machines, and digital 2D printers to generate prints from digital files. The technology is characterized by fast speed, the ability to print large-area thin layers and very high precision.
Zooming it into three dimensions, Sakuu’s new system can use composite toner materials and a range of ceramics, metals, and polymers to 3D print active devices, such as batteries.
3D printingEnergy storage device
Through complex geometries, 3D printing can improve the performance of energy storage devices. Earlier this year, researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) developed a new method for 3D printing electrodes for lithium-ion batteries. Using DLP 3D printing technology, the team was able to fabricate complex structures made of electrode materials, which reportedly have excellent battery capacity and stability.
Elsewhere, in the industrial sector, 3D printer manufacturer Photocentric has launched a department dedicated to the development of environmentally friendly 3D printed batteries. The company has previously led several other grant-funded projects and has now invested more resources to optimize 3D printed fuel cells for automotive applications.
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