BACKGROUND
Innovative power solution demands increase as advancements are made in areas such as unmanned aerial systems, portable equipment, and power storage. Industry has attempted to meet the need with increasingly larger high-performance lithium-ion batteries. However, traditional batteries impose constraints on design, particularly on space usage, weight distribution, and heat dissipation. Recently, methods were developed to address these inherent shortcomings by utilizing filament battery components via 3D printing. While this approach can generate portions of batteries (i.e., positive and negative electrodes) in the form of filament, it lacks complete structure and has underperforming power storage capabilities. There is a critical need for a practical approach to creating advanced filament printed batteries to meet quickly changing power needs in electronics.
SUMMARY OF TECHNOLOGY
Researchers at OSU have conceived a method of manufacturing whole solid-state lithium-ion battery filaments using advanced FDM printing approaches. The technology employs fused deposition modeling with available extrusion-based 3D printers, creating five layers of distinct materials within the filament. Printed whole battery filaments involve collectors, positive and negative electrodes, and a solid electrolytic component, whereas past approaches have only printed individual components. This novel complete battery filament printing method presents distinct advantages for battery capabilities. Primarily, this allows for complex battery design geometries to meet SWaP needs, releasing the constraint on spatial usage that traditional batteries present. Additionally, given the increased energy density and layered output, the novel battery filaments both reduce weight and increase heat transfer. It is possible to print dual use battery; i.e. the airframe, legs or housing is the battery. This innovative technology is a crucial advancement to keep pace with the ever-increasing demands for light, portable electrical systems.
(a) – A concept of a battery filament cross-section composed of a collector in the core (c) with surrounding bonded layers of the first electrode (e1), solid electrolyte (se), the second electrode (e2), and collector (c) as the outer layer. (b) An image of a two-layer filament prototype with a white PLA shell around a blue paraffin wax as the core, produced using CFMP
POTENTIAL AREAS OF APPLICATION
- Batteries with complex geometries include dual use
- Custom built structural power storage
- Unmanned aerial vehicles
- Aerospace applications
MAIN ADVANTAGES
- Portal power with dual functionality
- Low-cost custom complex designs
- Weight reduction
- Improved heat transfer
STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT
Basic Proof of Concept