SBIR Phase I: Rapid, Additive Manufacturing of Batteries (RAMB)

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力将开发一种新的工艺，通过快速定制制造来重塑电池。在过去的40年里，电池行业的制造工艺基本保持不变，影响了数字健康和物联网（IoT）等应用。该项目将开发一种新型的电池制造平台，使用指令固化技术，将组件固化过程从几小时缩短到几秒钟。该技术将通过消除某些加工步骤，为电池制造带来更多好处，例如节省成本，节省3倍的资本设备，以及环保。该项目的目标是对快速制造电池组件的指令治疗技术的优势进行基准测试，展示其在超薄柔性电池中的应用，并突出其在电池制造中的技术和经济效益。电池制造新方法的最大障碍是热蒸发过程，这是一个缓慢（67平方米/分钟）且有毒的过程。本项目将推进更快的固化工艺（500 m2/min）。该提案的主要目标将是：(1)使用指令固化技术配制锌银氧化物电池材料，(2)与最先进的电池制造工艺和材料进行比较，测试电池的性能和耐久性，以及(3)集成和测试小型原型电池（20-220毫安时），以取代数字健康和物联网应用设备中笨重，坚硬的硬币电池。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project will develop a new process to reshape batteries through rapid, custom manufacturing. The battery industry’s manufacturing process has remained relatively unchanged over the past 40 years, impacting applications such as Digital Health and the Internet of Things (IoT). This project will develop a novel platform for battery manufacturing using a cure-on-command technology, which will expedite the components curing process from hours to seconds. The cure-on-command technology will provide added multiple benefits to battery manufacturing through elimination of certain processing steps, such as cost savings, capital equipment savings of 3x, and environmental friendliness.The aims of this project are to benchmark the benefits of cure-on-command technology for rapid manufacturing of battery components, demonstrate its application for ultra-thin, flexible batteries, and highlight its technical and economic benefits to battery manufacturing. The biggest hurdle to new methods in battery manufacturing has been the thermal evaporation process, which is a slow (67 m2/min) and toxic process. This project will advance a faster (500 m2/min) curing process. The key objectives of this proposal will be: (1) formulate zinc-silver oxide battery materials with cure-on-command technology, (2) test performance and durability of batteries in comparison with the state-of-the-art battery manufacturing process and materials, and (3) integrate and test a small prototype battery (20-220 mAh) to replace bulky, rigid coin cells in devices for Digital Health and IoT applications.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.