Choi

Lukatskaya

Sousa

Wang

Zhao

National Science Review

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Scalable and safer printed Zn//MnO2 planar micro-batteries for smart electronics

Lee, Sang-Young

ScholarWorks@UNIST

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS National Science Review7: 237–238, 2020doi: 10.1093/nsr/nwz092Advance access publication 21 July 2019MATERIALS SCIENCEScalable and safer printed Zn//MnO2 planar micro-batteries for smartelectronicsSang-Young LeeThe rapidly growing field of miniatur-ized smart electronics has forced usto search for compatible microscalepower sources with reliable electro-chemical performance, various formfactors, manufacturing scalability, andsafety [1–5]. Among the several powersources reported to date, planar micro-batteries, which are characterized bygeometrical superiority over simple-stacked ones, have recently garneredconsiderable attention due to the simpleminiaturization, facile serial/parallelintegration, mechanical flexibility, andremoval of conventional separatormembranes [6]. Lithium-based thin-filmmicro-batteries have been extensivelyinvestigated; however, the complexmanufacturing processes and flammableorganic electrolyte-induced safety con-cerns pose a formidable barrier totheir practical applications. To addressthis issue, aqueous-based non-lithiumplanar micro-batteries are suggestedas a promising alternative beyond theaforementioned lithium-based ones.They can be fabricated through variousprinting techniques including inkjet,screen, gravure, and 3D printing [7].A recent study published in Natl.Sci. Rev. by Wu. et al. [8] reporteda new class of screen-printed, aqueousZn//MnO2 planar micro-batteries as abreakthrough approach.TheZn//MnO2planar micro-batteries, which were basedon interdigital patterns of Zn ink asan anode and MnO2 ink as a cathode,with high-conducting graphene ink as ametal-free current collector, showed out-standing electrochemical performance,Figure 1. (a) Schematic of fabrication of printed Zn//MnO2 micro-batteries. (b) An energy storage pack of Zn//MnO2 micro-batteries connected ina tandem fashion of 5 series × 3 parallel. (c–f) Photographs of shape-designable Zn//MnO2 micro-batteries under different bending states, e.g. (c)an individual interdigital Zn//MnO2 micro-battery, and (d) the tandem energy storage packs via self-connection of (c) interdigital Zn//MnO2 micro-batteries in 5 series × 3 parallel bended at 180◦, (e) four concentric-circle-shape, and (f) five linear-shape Zn//MnO2 micro-batteries in series, underflat and bent (180◦) states. (g) Schematic of the bent Zn//MnO2 micro-battery with electrolyte.aesthetic diversity, mechanical flexibility,and modularization.The Zn//MnO2 micro-batteries werefabricated by a low-cost and scalablescreen-printing technique as illustratedin Fig. 1a. The screen-printing enabledseamless integration of the Zn//MnO2micro-batteries with various complex-shaped planar geometries, resulting inthe fabrication of multiple parallel inter-digitated micro-batteries via in-series/in-parallel connections (Fig. 1b), indi-vidual micro-batteries (Fig. 1c), flexiblepatterns with multiple connections(Fig. 1d), and flexible tandem concentriccircular (Fig. 1e) and linear-structuredmicro-batteries free from conventionalmetal-based interconnectors (Fig. 1f).The planar Zn//MnO2 micro-batteriesemployed neutral aqueous electrolytesC©TheAuthor(s) 2019. Published byOxfordUniversity Press on behalf of China Science Publishing&Media Ltd.This is anOpen Access article distributed under the terms of the CreativeCommons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the originalwork is properly cited.Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/nsr/article-abstract/7/1/5/5530978 by Ulsan Natl Inst of Science & Technology user on 02 April 2020238 Natl Sci Rev, 2020, Vol. 7, No. 1 RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS(Fig. 1g). They delivered a high volu-metric capacity of 19.3 mAh/cm3 and,notably, a volumetric energy density of17.3 mWh/cm3, outperforming those(≤10 mWh/cm3) of conventionallithium thin-film batteries. The Zn//MnO2 micro-batteries also providedlong-term cyclability, high capacityretention of 83.9% after 1300 cyclesat a current density of 5 C, which farexceeds those of stacked Zn//MnO2batteries reported to date. Furthermore,the Zn//MnO2 planar micro-batteriesexhibited exceptional flexibility withoutcapacity loss under serious deformationand high voltage/high capacity throughfacile serial and parallel connectionof bipolar cells. The serial or parallelZn//MnO2 planar micro-batteries wereassembled with unit cells one by one,which were packaged by droppingelectrolyte onto the project area ofinterdigital microelectrodes.The low-cost, environmentally be-nign Zn//MnO2 micro-batteries within-plane geometry presented in thisstudy hold great promise as a high-performance, safe, flexible, and shape-versatile printed microscale powersource that can be directly integratedwith various miniaturized electronics.This study will be of broad interest toscientists and engineers involved innanotechnology, chemistry, material sci-ence, and energy storage, and contributesto enriching development perspectivesand directions of planar microscalepower sources for potential use in futuremicroelectronics. Research directions onprintable batteries are currently focusedon (i) synthesis of highly conductingand stable battery component inks withtunable rheological properties associatedwith electrochemical performance, (ii)design of battery shapes and configu-rations with fully printable techniques,(iii) development of industrially scalableprinting techniques, and (iv) mono-lithic/seamless integration of printablebatteries with electronic devices [2,9].Sang-Young LeeDepartment of Energy Engineering, Ulsan NationalInstitute of Science and Technology, KoreaCorresponding author:E-mail: syleek@unist.ac.krREFERENCES1. Kim SH, Choi KH and Lee SY et al. Energy EnvironSci 2018; 11: 321–30.2. Choi KH, D Ahn and Lee SY. ACS Energy Lett 2018;3: 220–36.3. Um HD, Choi KH and Lee SY et al. Energy EnvironSci 2017; 10: 931–40.4. Zhao J, Sonigara KK and Li J et al. Angew ChemInt Ed 2017; 56: 7871–5.5. Lukatskaya MR, Feldblyum JI and Mackanic DGet al. Energy Environ Sci 2018; 11: 2876–83.6. Wu ZS, Feng XL and Cheng HM. Natl Sci Rev 2014;1: 277–92.7. Shi X, Pei S and Zhou F et al. Energy Environ Sci2019; 12: 1534–41.8. Wang X, Zheng S and Zhou F et al. Natl Sci Rev2019; doi:10.1093/nsr/nwz070.9. Sousa RE, Costa CM and Lanceros-Mendez S.ChemSusChem 2015; 8: 3539–55.Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/nsr/article-abstract/7/1/5/5530978 by Ulsan Natl Inst of Science & Technology user on 02 April 2020

Scalable and safer printed Zn//MnO2 planar micro-batteries for smart electronics

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