Date: 21/01/2013

Bendable batteries using nanotech developed by researchers

By effectively using nanotech based methods, the Korean Researchers able to fabricate a flexible battery which can be bent to different shapes. The shape-conformable and bendable lithium-ion battery suit well for mobile devices such as smartphones with flexible displays.

The three important things in batteries are electrode, electrolyte and the casing. Korean researcher used nanomaterials (Al2O3 nano-particles) which can be applied to any surface to create fluid-like polymer electrolytes with excellent electrochemical performance in lithium battery. The Ultra Violet (UV) cured polymer feature high boiling point. The fabrication is done with 3D structured electrodes and UV assisted nanoimprint lithography.





Scientist Prof. Lee Sang-young of Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (President Moo Je Cho) is heading the group, The other scientists who are part of this project include Prof. John A. Rogers of the University of Illinois, Researchers Younggi Lee and Gwangman Kim of ETRI (Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, President Heung Nam Kim), and researcher Eunhae Gil of Kangwon National University.

The challenge with bendable/flexible battery tech is stability. Researchers claims this tech does not only make the batteries bendable, but the process also makes it more stable. Prof. Lee says "conventional lithium-ion batteries that use liquefied Electrolytes had problems with safety as the film that separates the electrolytes may melt under heat, in which case the positive and negative may come in contact, causing an explosion, because the new battery uses flexible but solid materials, and not liquids, it can be expected to show a much higher level of stability than conventional rechargeable batteries.”

With the development of flexible-display, flexible-electronics and the bendable-battery, the bendable mobile devices can hit the market in coming years. However how much they can be bent and how many times they can be bent is the question. A good example of application is, in a wrist-watch type phone, the watch strip can hold the battery while giving that space inside the watch for extra electronics.
Author: Srinivasa Reddy N