Introduction: For a long time, the pollution-free treatment of electronic materials after they are scrapped has been a major problem for scientists. This is because the rare metals contained in batteries, once they flow into nature, will cause irreversible damage to the surrounding environment.This e-waste is actually far more polluting than oilenergyThe pollution is even greater. If the e-waste problem cannot be effectively solved, the “new energy” advocated for a long time may face greater challenges in the future. So are there any non-polluting or easily degradable battery materials?
On October 22, 2021, researchers at the Swiss Federal Laboratory for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) have used3D printingTechnology has created a new type of supercapacitor that is environmentally sustainable.
this completely3D printingThe battery, composed of a flexible cellulose and glycerin substrate patterned with conductive carbon and graphite-containing ink, is capable of withstanding thousands of charge cycles while maintaining its capacity.Since it can be
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A degradable substrate, the new battery can also be composted after use, potentially making it an ideal tool for solving the world’s e-waste problem.
Looking for a sustainable “EDLC”
EMPA scientists claim that with the recent boom in electronic wearables, packaging and Internet of Things (IoT) applications, their global total has risen to 27 billion. However, given the short life cycles of these devices and the fact that they are often powered by non-renewable lithium-ion or alkaline batteries, many of these products end up in landfills, exacerbating the global e-waste problem.
So, in an effort to develop more eco-friendly energy storage devices, scientists have begun experimenting with electric double layer capacitors, or “EDLCs.” These high-capacity, fast-charging supercapacitors can be made at least in part from biodegradable materials, potentially making them ideal replacements for regular batteries, which often require specialized handling services.
Although a lot of research has been done in the development of EDLC, its various parts, such as electrodes and current collectors, can be difficult to produce through a single manufacturing process.What’s more, many EDLC prototypes are only partial at best3D printing, requiring time-consuming and expensive assembly or post-processing, making them commerciallyinvestUnattractive.
△EMPA researchers’ battery DIW 3D printingmethod. Image via Advanced Materials magazine.
△GH)3D printingPictures (optical pictures and SEM images) of the highly conductive bridging scaffolds; i) Top to bottom: 10, 5, 2.5mm aspect ratio
△A) Photograph of the print before printing the electrolyte layer, including an enlarged view of the electrical contacts obtained with the collector ink; B) Photograph of the folded disposable device.
△E) Schematic diagram of the printed design of the disposable paper supercapacitor. F) Photograph of the current collector printed on a curved substrate with a resistance of 38Ω for a single pad. G) Photo of a supercapacitor array printed on a curved substrate powering a desktop clock for 21 minutes
A “state of the art” supercapacitor
To simplify the production of EDLC and create an eco-friendly battery of their own, the EMPA team turned to DIW
3D printing, they used this method to create two “battery semi-finished products” before folding them together. In practice, that means first printing the cell’s substrate, then depositing its electrodes and conductive graphite-filled electrolyte layer on top, in the process, with some tweaking, producing a functional battery.
3D printing, they used this method to create two “battery semi-finished products” before folding them together. In practice, that means first printing the cell’s substrate, then depositing its electrodes and conductive graphite-filled electrolyte layer on top, in the process, with some tweaking, producing a functional battery.
Xavier Aeby of EMPA’s Cellulose and Wood Materials Laboratory said: “It sounds simple on the surface, but it’s not at all. It requires a series of tests until all the parameters are correct, until all the components are working properly. Flowing out of the printer reliably, the capacitor also works. Also, as researchers, we don’t want to just fiddle with the form, we also want to understand what’s going on inside the material.”
After prototyping the supercapacitor, the scientists attempted to test its charge retention by charging it to 0.5V and then measuring its open surface voltage. According to the researchers, their device still had 30 percent charge remaining after 150 hours, putting its performance on par with current state-of-the-art carbon-based supercapacitors.
Interestingly, the researchers found that the capacity of their supercapacitors also fluctuated for two weeks after fabrication, then stabilized, and later remained functional after eight months of storage, when they finished their experiments and tried to compost them. , they were able to dissolve around 50% of their mass within 9 weeks.
During testing, the team’s device was eventually able to power a 3V alarm clock under mechanical stress and operate at widely varying temperatures.So, with further R&D, they say it could be deployed on a larger scale to continuously power low-voltage smart devices, such as those used in environmental monitoring, e-textiles ormedicalHealthcare applications.
△researchers think their3D printingSupercapacitors have the potential to power other low-voltage devices in the future. Image via EMPA
Printed Batteries: Ready to Enter the Market?
Although3D printingBatteries are still in a relatively early stage of development, but there are some promising signs that the technology is moving towards end-use use. The rebranded Sakuu company, formerly known as KeraCel, recently announced plans to launch its first solid-state battery (SSB) in 20223D printingThe printer is said to produce a battery with a much higher capacity than current lithium-ion devices.
in England,3D printingmachine manufacturerphotocentricAn in-house battery research and development department has been set up, and it is trying to design a new energy-efficient storage device of its own.By reducing the size and weight of battery electrodes, the company ultimately aims to develop a more suitablecarApp’s device, which is said to target the creation of the upcoming Tesla Giga factory.
In a similar field, albeit more experimentally, a team from the University of Manchester has developed a3D printingof “MXene” ink and use it to produce prototype supercapacitors. During testing, the scientists said their additively manufactured electrodes exhibited the high capacitance and energy density needed to power future cars or cell phones.
The researchers’ findings are detailed in their paper, titled “Fully 3D Printed and Disposable Paper Supercapacitors,” co-authored by Xavier Aeby, Alexandre Poulin, Gilberto Siqueira, Michael K. Hausmann and Gustav Nyström.
Links to related papers:https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202101328
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