High Performance Printed AgO-Zn Rechargeable Battery for Flexible Electronics

TL;DR

This paper presents a printable, flexible AgO-Zn rechargeable battery with high capacity and mechanical stability, suitable for powering flexible electronics, demonstrated by powering a flexible E-ink display.

Contribution

Developed a scalable, printable AgO-Zn battery with high areal capacity, flexibility, and rechargeability, suitable for flexible electronic applications.

Findings

Achieved a maximum areal capacity of 54 mAh/cm2.

Demonstrated mechanical stability under repeated bending.

Powered a flexible E-ink display with superior performance.

Abstract

The rise of flexible electronics calls for cost-effective and scalable batteries with good mechanical and electrochemical performance. In this work, we developed printable, polymer-based AgO-Zn batteries that feature flexibility, rechargeability, high areal capacity, and low impedance. Using elastomeric substrate and binders, the current collectors, electrodes, and separators can be easily screen-printed layer-by-layer and vacuum-sealed in a stacked configuration. The batteries are customizable in sizes and capacities, with the highest obtained areal capacity of 54 mAh/cm2 for primary applications. Advanced micro-CT and EIS were used to characterize the battery, whose mechanical stability was tested with repeated twisting and bending. The batteries were used to power a flexible E-ink display system that requires a high-current drain and exhibited superior performance than commercial coin-cell batteries. The developed battery presents a practical solution for powering a wide range of electronics and holds major implications for the future development of practical and high-performance flexible batteries.