Scientists at Peter the Great Polytechnic in Saint Petersburg, Russia have been exploring alternative ways to manufacture battery electrodes. This is very important work, given the energy-rich methods applied by mainstream battery manufacturers. The ink jet electrodes they made for paper-thin batteries are not from the office printer, although the technology is similar.
How the Scientists Brought Their Ink Jet Electrodes to Life
The technologists chose to use lithium and manganese-enriched cathode material, to reduce the difference in energy density. This was after they discovered they were not that much different from the electrodes used in conventional technology.
Encouraged, they prepared a stable colloidal solution, and optimized it to print ink jet cathodes. Exhaustive testing revealed they had made a wise decision, and their technology was good to go. Their ink jet electrodes were ready to prove their worth, and significantly reduce the size of lithium-ion batteries.
The Technology Behind This Step Forward
The Saint Peter the Great researchers first considered other ways to increase lithium-ion density. These included new manufacturing methods, as well as using 3D printing. However, they discovered those options did not have comparable density to commercial applications.
That was when they stumbled over their solution. They decided to use new compounds from lithium and manganese-enriched cathode-material with increased capacity. Following experimentation, they were able to print ink jet electrodes with similar density to industrial ones. Their scientific method involved preparing a stable printing solution suitable for this purpose. Then they considered the various printing parameters before choosing the optimal electro-chemical conditions.
This research has a way to go before we can speak of commercial applications. None the less we are encouraged, because it holds promise of a more sustainable energy storage solution.
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