Zinc-Based Flexible, Rechargeable Batteries

Jul-22-14 By using zinc instead of lithium, researchers have created a flexible and rechargeable battery that can printed on common screen printers, bringing us even closer to wearable, electronic devices.

Developed by Imprint Energy, the batteries were specifically designed to be safe for use on the body as well as flexible and rechargeable. They were based on graduate work begun by Christine Ho, the company's co-founder, while she was working to create microscopic zinc batteries with a 3D printer. Zinc is more stable than lithium, and so does not demand as much bulky protection, but zinc also has the unfortunate tendency to grow dendrites, which branch between electrodes and shorten the battery. However, Ho overcame zinc's weaknesses by using a solid polymer electrode that also provides a higher capacity and greater stability.

The batteries could have applications ranging from smart labels to eye-worn devices, and are already being integrated into a U.S. military-funded project to create health monitors for soldiers.

More Info about this Invention:

[TECHNOLOGYREVIEW.COM]
[IMPRINTENERGY.COM]

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