Aug 4, 2015 | By Simon
As we continue to load our pockets and bags with mobile devices that help us stay connected to our digital lives, the need to power them has to come from somewhere. Because of this, more research than ever has been focusing on optimizing batteries to make them, smaller, lighter, more energy-efficient and ultimately, more powerful than ever before.
Among others who have been developing longer-lasting batteries for tomorrow’s smartphones and other devices include Professor Craig Banks, the Associate Dean for Research and Professor in Electrochemical and Nanotechnology at Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK.
Recent developments for a three and a half-year project being led by Banks have been focused on building a desktop printer that is capable of creating batteries, supercapacitors and energy storage devices for phones or tablets, and solar, wind and wave power storage using conductive graphene ink. Graphene was discovered at the University of Manchester in 2004 and it is 200 times stronger than steel and is a highly efficient conductor of heat and energy.
By utilizing the conductive properties of graphene ink as a form of filament, Banks and his team are able to create optimized 3D structures that are designed to increase the amount of power storage that a battery is capable of.
“Energy storage systems (ESS) are critical to address climate change and, as clean energy is generated through a variety of ways, an efficient way to store this energy is required,” explains Banks.
“Lithium and sodium ion batteries and super/ultracapacitors are promising approaches to achieve this. This project will be utilising the reported benefits of graphene - it is more conductive than metal - and applying these into ESS.”
In addition to the choice of material used, the design of the ESS’s 3D structures itself is critical in order to maximize its capabilities. Among other considerations include high surface areas, good electrical properties and hierarchical pore structures/porous channels.
“We’re trying to achieve a conductive ink that blends the fantastic properties of graphene with the ease of use of 3D printing to be manipulated into a structure that’s beneficial for batteries and supercapacitors,” added Banks.
Although there have been similar studies and techniques done with graphene, the majority of them use ‘semi-graphene’ inks that feature additives including graphite and carbon black, which ultimately compromise the efficiency of the graphene’s performance and potential.
While the technology looks promising, there are still some details that need to be ironed out before the printer becomes a true ‘Plug n’ Go’ experience that Banks hopes to see it become one day. Among others, this includes the need to cure each layer of the 3D printed object for at least one hour before another layer is applied to it. When considering how many layers make up a 3D printed object, it’s clear how time consuming this can be. Currently, Banks and his team are looking at ways of curing the material directly after it has been extruded.
"At the moment it takes ages to make anything above the micron level, so we want to shine a UV light onto the ink as it is printed, to cure it in situ and ensure it holds its structural integrity," added Banks.
"Ultimately, we could all print our own batteries from a 3D printer in our office or home. You could imagine just clicking in a cartridge containing graphene-conductive ink, and manipulating it into a unique structure."
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
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