Complete Lithium Ion Batteries Produced by Additive Manufacturing

Demand for portable power continues to expand, and new portable devices require increased variability in form factor. Furthermore, expired batteries may not be easily replaceable due to the lack of standard geometries. New manufacturing technologies are necessary to respond to each of the challenges. Additive manufacturing (AM) is a promising approach that is well known for its ability to quickly prepare units with outstanding flexibility in form factor with a wide variety of materials and substrates. We will develop a novel AM technique for battery fabrication by developing a system capable of printing multiple materials and developing material feedstocks suitable for printing. At the conclusion of phase I, we will demonstrate single layer cells showing charge/discharge characteristics similar to those found in lithium-ion batteries. The overall goal of the program is to develop an AM platform capable of complete fabrication of batteries using a variety of chemistries, cell architectures, form factors, and substrates.