Printable Gallium Composite Electrode for Stretchable Battery Scaling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current fabrication techniques for stretchable batteries are manual, non-autonomous, and not scalable, limiting the rapid production of customized advanced electronics and IoT devices.
Innovation Solution
A digitally printable and stretchable gallium-based composite electrode comprising a gallium-carbon-SIS material as an anode, combined with a liquid metal eutectic gallium-indium-silver current collector and silver oxide cathode, allowing for sinter-free printing and self-feeding/self-aggregation properties that enhance areal capacity and stretchability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual fabrication techniques are used for stretchable batteries, then customization is possible, but productivity and scalability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical fabrication processes with digital printing technology. The digital printing system uses automated deposition of liquid metal and composite materials through computer-controlled nozzles, eliminating manual steps while maintaining design flexibility. This allows rapid prototyping and customization of battery geometries without sacrificing production speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables rapid adjustment of battery parameters (geometry, material composition, electrode patterns) through digital file modifications rather than physical retooling. The liquid metal and composite inks can be precisely controlled in terms of deposition amount, pattern, and location, allowing quick parameter changes between production runs while maintaining high productivity.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional battery fabrication methods are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but stretchability and flexibility are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials consisting of liquid metal (gallium-indium-silver alloy) embedded in elastomeric matrices, and conductive composites with carbon particles dispersed in polymer binders. These composite structures inherently provide both mechanical stretchability and electrical conductivity, allowing the battery to be fabricated using simplified printing processes while achieving superior flexibility and stretchability compared to conventional rigid battery methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses thin-film composite structures deposited on flexible substrates. The entire battery construction—electrodes, current collectors, and encapsulation—employs thin, flexible layers that can be stretched and bent without structural failure, maintaining ease of manufacture through printing while achieving the desired mechanical properties.
3Reliability
If sintering processes are used for electrode fabrication, then electrical conductivity is improved, but thermal damage to substrates occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal sintering with a solution-based printing approach where conductive inks containing liquid metal and carbon particles are deposited and naturally solidify or crosslink at low temperatures. The liquid metal component provides inherent conductivity without requiring high-temperature processing, eliminating thermal damage to temperature-sensitive substrates while maintaining reliable electrical performance.
4Power
If rigid battery components are used, then power density is high, but device integration into wearable and flexible systems is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses composite materials that combine the benefits of rigid components (high conductivity, structural integrity) with flexible matrices (stretchability, conformability). The liquid metal-copolymer composites and conductive carbon-polymer mixtures maintain high electrical performance while enabling the battery to be integrated into wearable, flexible, and stretchable devices, achieving both high power density and superior adaptability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composite electrode achieves a record-breaking areal capacity of 19.4 mAh cm−2 with over 130% strain, enabling efficient and customizable production of stretchable batteries for wearable devices.
Implementation Method 1
The use of gallium as a negative electrode was already proposed in a patent three decades ago, by means of the redox reaction Ga—3e3−+6OH−↔GaO33−+3H2O
Implementation Method 2
allowing for sinter-free printing and self-feeding/self-aggregation properties that enhance areal capacity and stretchability
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a composite electrode comprising polymer with carbon particles percolated by gallium or a gallium-indium alloy, and a stretchable battery comprising: a cathode electrode comprising silver oxide and styrene-isoprene block copolymer (Ag2O-SIS) and a cathode current collector; an anode electrode comprising a gallium, carbon, and a polymer and an anode current collector; wherein each of the cathode current collector and the anode current collector comprise: a first current collector of a composite comprising liquid metal eutectic gallium-indium (EGaln), silver (Ag), and styrene-isoprene block copolymer (SIS); and a second current collector a second layer of carbon black (CB) and styrene-isoprene block copolymer (SIS). The disclosure also discloses a method to obtain said composite electrode and said stretchable battery.