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Voltammetric priming for electrochemically stable 3D printed aqueous gel Li-ion rechargeable batteries in various form factors
Date
2025-08-21
Abstract
Rechargeable batteries with customizable shapes and geometries that can be incorporated directly into the design of a device by 3D printing of functional materials could enable new smart devices for consumer electronics, medical devices, and connected living technologies. We report a 3D printing approach to a non-flammable all-plastic battery construction that operates as an aqueous Li-ion rechargeable battery. The battery cell is made using an extruder-type 3D printing method for the cell architecture, including graphene-impregnated conductive polylactic acid (PLA) current collectors within an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic cell, and an aqueous LiNO3-containing polyvinylpyrrolidone-silica gel electrolyte for the cell chemistry, without any separator. LiCoO2 cathodes and LiMn2O4 anode materials uniformly coated PLA current collectors allow operation within the water electrolysis window. These printed batteries exhibit good specific capacities of between 30 mAh g−1 (1 C) to 90 mAh g−1 (0.1 C) for at least 100 charge/discharge cycles, and gravimetric and volumetric energy densities of ∼110 Wh kg−1 and 0.33 Wh L−1, following a voltammetric priming step to enhance electrochemical stability during cycling. 3D printed cells can be printed to 4 mm thickness, as a donut-shaped rechargeable Li-ion battery, or as LEGO-brick series connections.
Supervisor
Description
Publisher
The Electrochemical Society
Citation
ECS Advances, 4, 030501
Collections
Files
Funding code
Funding Information
Research Ireland
Irish Research Council
Irish Research Council
Sustainable Development Goals
External Link
Type
Article
Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/