High-Performance Packaged 3D Lithium-Ion Microbatteries Fabricated Using Imprint Lithography

Adv Mater. 2021 Jan;33(1):e2006229. doi: 10.1002/adma.202006229. Epub 2020 Nov 26.

Abstract

Fabrication of high-energy-density and high-power-density packaged long-cycle-life rechargeable microbatteries remains a considerable challenge. Here, high-performance microbatteries with high active volume fraction, thick, 3D-structured electrodes (V2 O5 cathode and Li metal anode) are realized through a combination of imprint lithography, self-assembly, and electrodeposition. To assist the critical challenge of hermetic packaging, the microbattery is infilled with a gel electrolyte. The packaged cell exhibits high areal energy and power densities of 1.24 J cm-2 and 75.5 mW cm-2 , respectively, and can be cycled 550 times in argon or 200 times in air with 75% capacity retention of the initial discharge capacity. An unpackaged cell, using a liquid electrolyte, provides a power density of 218 mW cm-2 . As far as it is known, the microbatteries have the highest peak power density among all reported microbatteries.

Keywords: gel electrolytes; hermetic packaging; imprint lithography; microbatteries; thick 3D electrodes.