Researchers have made a groundbreaking advancement in flexible electronics with the development of a completely stretchable lithium-ion battery. Unlike traditional batteries, this new battery’s components are entirely elastic, including an electrolyte layer that can expand up to 5,000% while maintaining its charge storage capacity over nearly 70 charge/discharge cycles.
The need for flexible batteries has risen with the increasing popularity of wearable health monitors and other flexible electronics. Previous attempts at creating stretchable batteries involved woven conductive fabrics or rigid components folded into expandable shapes. However, these prototypes had limitations in terms of elasticity, assembly processes, and energy storage capacity over time.
The innovative approach taken by Wen-Yong Lai and their team involved integrating the electrolyte into a polymer layer between flexible electrode films, resulting in a solid, stretchy battery design. With the ability to stretch to 5,000% of its original length and transport lithium ions efficiently, this new battery outperformed similar devices with traditional liquid electrolytes in terms of charge capacity and stability during charging and discharging cycles.
The potential applications for these fully stretchable, solid batteries are vast, especially in the development of wearable or implantable devices that can move and flex with the body. While improvements are still needed, this advancement represents a significant step forward in the field of flexible electronics.
