3D-PRINTED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL ENERGY STORAGE

The ever-growing demand for multifunctional portable and wearable electronic devices, such as wireless sensors and implantable medical devices, gives rise to the quest for miniaturized shape-free electrochemical energy storage devices. Microbatteries have been proved as a promising solution for these applications. Batteries are often characterized in terms of two optimized parameters: energy and power. Since lithium and Li-ion batteries exhibit very high energy-density, they are considered the preferred choice for both portable devices and electric vehicles. However, the electrochemical performance of current commercial batteries is limited by the two-dimensional (2D) bulk architecture of electrode materials, which possess relatively small electrode/electrolyte interfacial areas.

3D printing technologies enable a well-controlled creation of functional materials with three-dimensional architectures, representing a promising approach for fabrication of next-generation high- performance electrochemical energy storage devices. Moreover, in recent years the use of conductive materials such as carbon-based polymer becomes more common for the printed-microelectronics industry. In this presentation, we will demonstrate for the first time the feasibility of FDM printing technology for the preparation of 3D composite active battery materials. Structural and electrochemical characterization of these new materials in 3D printed battery configuration will be addressed.