High Aspect Ratio Pillar Current Collectors for Flexible Electronics
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing high aspect ratio structures, such as carbon nanotube pillars, are non-economical and face challenges in achieving homogeneous metal coating, which affects their electrical conductivity and suitability as current collectors for electrochemical or electro-optical devices.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of elongate and aligned carbon nanotube structures on a metal substrate with a seed layer, followed by an electroless plating and electroplating process to create pillars with a minimum interdistance greater than 600 nm, ensuring electrical conductivity and a robust design suitable for flexible applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If high aspect ratio structures such as carbon nanotube pillars are produced using existing methods, then the specific surface area is increased, but the manufacturing cost increases and the structures are difficult to coat homogeneously
Solution Approach 1:
The current collector is segmented into multiple high aspect ratio pillars rather than using a planar structure. This segmentation increases the specific surface area while maintaining manufacturability through cost-effective processes like electroless plating and electroplating that can uniformly coat the pillar structures
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a 2D planar current collector to a 3D pillar structure with high aspect ratio. This dimensional change dramatically increases the specific surface area available for charge collection while the pillars are designed with optimized dimensions (height 1-100 μm, diameter 0.1-10 μm) to ensure homogeneous coating during manufacturing
2Area of moving object
If the interdistance between pillars is reduced to increase charge collecting area, then the specific charge collecting area increases, but the electrical conductivity and coating homogeneity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the interdistance parameter between pillars to a specific range (100 nm to 10 μm) that balances two competing requirements: small enough to provide high charge collecting area density, but large enough to maintain electrical conductivity and allow homogeneous coating during electroless plating and electroplating processes
3Manufacturing precision
If high aspect ratio structures are made on silicon wafers, then the structure quality is maintained, but the manufacturing cost increases compared to metal/plastic foils
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces expensive silicon wafers with cheaper metal or plastic foils as the substrate for current collector manufacturing. These cost-effective substrates are processed using electroless plating and electroplating to create the high aspect ratio pillar structures, eliminating the need for expensive silicon-based fabrication while maintaining structural quality
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
This approach results in a high-specific charge collecting area with a robust and flexible current collector, enabling efficient charge collection and conformal coating, enhancing the performance and durability of electrochemical or electro-optical devices.
Implementation Method 1
forming elongate and aligned carbon nanotube structures on a face of a seed layer covering the metal substrate with a micro-pattern mask arranged to forming the carbon nanotube pillars
Implementation Method 2
an electroless plating step and an electroplating step so that the carbon nanotube pillars are rendered electrically conductive
Implementation Method 3
an electroless plating step and an electroplating step so that the carbon nanotube pillars are rendered electrically conductive by covering the pillar walls with a conductive layer
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a electronic device is provided having a current collector capable of a high specific charge collecting area and power, but is also achieved using a simple and fast technique and resulting in a robust design that may be flexed and can be manufactured in large scale processing. To this end the electronic device comprising an electronic circuit equipped with a current collector formed by a metal substrate having a face forming a high-aspect ratio structure of pillars having an interdistance larger than 600 nm. By forming the high-aspect structure in a metal substrate, new structures can be formed that are conformal to curvature of a macroform or that can be coiled or wound and have a robust design.