Sensors: C-MEMS Based Microbattery Arrays for Miniature Sensors

该传感器和传感器网络（传感器）个人调查员（SII）拨款将资助用于微型传感器的先进3D微电池和智能电池阵列的开发。这项工作涉及到基于三维碳电极阵列的微电池的制造，这些电极阵列是由光刻图案化的光刻胶热解制成的。三维碳电极阵列的使用提高了微电池的表面体积比，从而增加了反应表面积，减少了离子扩散距离。每个电极由数千个电极元件组成，这样的电极对将在一种新型的可切换微电池阵列中制造，以便根据手头应用的需要连续访问不同的电压和电流。与目前的2D电池相比，完整的C-MEMS锂离子可充电微电池有望具有更高的能量密度和非常快的充放电特性。这项工作包括以下主要任务：通过建模和电化学实验优化微电池设计，采用不同形状和不同排列的C-MEMS柱阵列，设计和实现开关模式，优化C-MEMS材料性能，如表面粗糙度和孔隙率，改善负极锂离子充放电特性（包括使用碳电极掺杂），以及正极柱和电解质的制造。如果成功，这里开发的电池新材料和制造方法也可以用于新型小型化电化学传感器、超级电容器和燃料电池。这种新型先进电池可以集成到远程传感器网络、光电子和植入式生物医学设备中。这项工作将促进各个层次和不同背景的博士后和学生之间的跨学科互动，包括机械工程、电气工程、化学和材料科学。这个项目的资料和结果将广泛传播，通过在科学会议上介绍和在科学期刊上发表来增进对科学和技术的了解。该研究项目将影响MEMS和纳米技术的研究生和本科教育，但也将努力提高当地高中生对MEMS和NEMS的认识（UCI为此专门设立了一个暑期项目）。

This Sensors and Sensor Networks (Sensors) Individual Investigator (SII) grant will fund the development of advanced 3D microbatteries and smart battery arrays for miniature sensors. The work involves the manufacture of microbatteries based on 3D carbon electrode arrays fabricated by the pyrolysis of photo-lithographically patterned photoresist. The use of 3D carbon electrode arrays enhances the surface to volume ratio of the microbattery, resulting in increased reaction surface area and decreased ion diffusion distances. With each electrode composed of thousands of electrode elements, pairs of such electrodes will be fabricated in a novel type of switchable array of microbatteries so that different voltages and currents can be continuously accessed depending on the need of the application at hand. Completed C-MEMS Li-ion rechargeable microbatteries are expected to feature superior energy densities and very fast charge/discharge characteristics compared to current 2D batteries. The work entails the following major tasks: optimization of the microbattery design through modeling and electrochemical experimentation with arrays of differently shaped and differently arranged C-MEMS posts, design and implementation of switching patterns, optimization of C-MEMS materials properties such as surface roughness and porosity, improvement of Li-ion charging/discharging characteristics of the negative electrodes (including the use of doping of the carbon electrodes), and the fabrication of positive electrode posts and an electrolyte.If successful, the new material and manufacturing approach for batteries developed here can also be used for novel miniaturized electrochemical sensors, super capacitors and fuel cells. The new advanced batteries could be integrated into remote sensor networks, optoelectronics and implantable biomedical devices. The work will foster interdisciplinary interactions with postdocs and students at all levels and from various backgrounds including mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemistry and materials science. The information and results of this project will be broadly disseminated to enhance scientific and technological understanding through presentation at scientific conferences and publication in scientific journals. This research project should effect graduate and undergraduate education in MEMS and nanotechnology but also will try to raise the awareness in MEMS and NEMS for high school students in the local area (UCI has a summer program set-up just for this).