A Stretchable Battery Technology

可拉伸电源是新兴的可穿戴和可植入设备领域中的关键部件。基于刚性和脆性材料的传统电子系统不太适合这种应用，因为它们在设备和人体之间产生机械失配，并且不能符合任何几何形状，导致不适、设计中的受限形状因子以及对人体组织的可能损伤。近年来，在可拉伸半导体和电极领域取得了很大进展，而可拉伸电源的进展则相对滞后。在可穿戴和可植入技术的新应用的催化下，对可拉伸电池制造的兴趣激增，重点是转向完全形状的顺应性设备，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，一种温和的水性电池系统，以支持可穿戴设备行业向完全符合形状的设备过渡。该器件使用锌和锰（IV）作为参与电活性的主要金属，并使用铋/锌汞合金来提高循环寿命和电压输出。形状一致性器械的每个组件必须能够在很大程度上弯曲和拉伸。我们的电池具有显著的灵活性和可拉伸性，对性能的影响可以忽略不计，电池占地面积小（即，与受电设备相比体积较小）。 I2 I第一阶段的资助将支持开发两个针对特定细分市场的全尺寸原型，并支持优化电池性能，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.