Printing 3D Gel Polymer Electrolyte in Lithium-Ion Microbattery Using Stereolithography

Here we demonstrate the use of projection stereo-micro-lithography as a low-cost and high-throughput method to fabricate three dimensional (3D) microbattery. An Ultraviolet (UV)-curable Poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG)-base gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) is first created. The GPE is then used as a resin for micro-stereolithography in order to build a 3D architecture of battery's electrolyte. Active materials, LiFePO4 (LFP) and Li4Ti5O12 (LTO), are mixed with carbon black and the GPE resin, which is then flown into the 3D structure. Aluminum (Al) foil is cut and inserted as a current collector. The GPE is characterized and the microbattery is performed a cycling test. Results show a feasibility of microbattery fabrication using projection micro-stereolithography.