Researchers at Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications in China have achieved a major breakthrough in battery technology with the development of a fully stretchable solid lithium-ion battery. This innovative battery paves the way for flexible wearable and implantable devices that can bend and stretch without compromising power.
Traditional attempts at creating flexible batteries have involved weaving conductive fabric or arranging rigid components in complex configurations. However, for optimal flexibility, all components of the battery need to be inherently stretchable. Existing prototypes often suffer from limitations in energy storage capabilities or degradation in performance over time.
The new fully stretchable battery features an electrolyte layer that can expand by 5000%, maintaining its charge capacity even after almost 70 charge and discharge cycles. The battery is composed of stretchable components, including flexible electrode films and a solid electrolyte layer fused between them. The electrodes are made from a conductive paste spread over a surface and coated with a flexible polymer layer, while the electrolyte is a solid material that can stretch and transport lithium ions effectively.
In comparison to batteries using traditional liquid electrolytes, the solid-state battery demonstrated six times the average charge capacity at a fast-charging rate and maintained a more consistent capacity over 67 charging cycles. This breakthrough represents a significant advancement in the development of wearable and implantable devices that need to move with the human body.
Further enhancements are still needed, but this fully stretchable, solid-state battery holds great promise for the future of flexible electronics.
