A Stretchable Battery Technology

可伸缩电源是可穿戴和可植入设备新兴领域的关键组件。基于刚性和易碎性材料的传统电子系统不太适合这样的应用，因为它们在设备和人体之间产生机械失配，并且不符合任何几何形状，导致不适感，设计中的形状因素受到限制，并且可能对人体组织造成损害。近年来，在可伸缩半导体和电极领域取得了很大进展，而在可伸展电源方面的进展却滞后。在可穿戴和可植入技术的新应用的推动下，人们对可拉伸电池制造的兴趣出现了新的激增，重点是向全形状符合设备的方向发展，而可拉伸电池是需要创新的关键部件。 我们的团队开发了StretchPower电池，这是一种温和的水性电池系统，以支持可穿戴设备行业向完全形状一致的设备过渡。该装置使用锌和锰(IV)作为参与电活动的主要金属，并使用铋/锌汞齐来提高循环寿命和电压输出。符合形状的设备的每个部件都必须能够弯曲和拉伸到相当大的程度。我们的电池提供了显著的灵活性和可伸缩性，对性能的影响可以忽略不计，电池占用空间很小(即，与供电设备相比，体积较小)。 这笔I2I第一阶段赠款将支持针对特定细分市场的两个全尺寸原型的开发，并支持电池性能的优化，以最大限度地发挥其商业潜力。

Stretchable power sources are a key component in the emerging field of wearable and implantable devices. Traditional electronic systems based on rigid and fragile materials are not well suited to such applications as they produce mechanical mismatch between the device and human body and cannot conform to any geometry, resulting in discomfort, restricted form factors in design, and possible damage to human tissue. In recent years, much progress has been made in the area of stretchable semiconductors and electrodes, while progress on stretchable power sources has lagged behind. A new surge in interest in the manufacture of stretchable batteries, catalyzed by new applications of wearable and implantable technologies, focuses on the move towards fully-shape conforming devices, and stretchable batteries are a key component that requires innovation. Our team has developed the StretchPower battery, a mild aqueous battery system, to support transition of the wearables industry to fully shape-conforming devices. The device uses zinc and manganese (IV) as the primary metals involved in electroactivity, with a bismuth/zinc amalgam to improve cycle life and voltage output. Every component of a shape-conforming device must be able to bend and stretch to a significant degree. Our battery offers significant flexibility and stretchability with negligible effect on performance and a small battery footprint (i.e., a small volume compared to the powered device). This I2I Phase 1 grant will support the development of two full-scale prototypes that target specific market segments and also support the optimization of the battery performance to maximize its commercial potential.