MEMS Battery Using Solid Electrolytes for Micro-Satellites

A critical technological barrier to implementing microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices is energy storage. In Phase I, the feasibility of solid-state polymer electrolyte micro-power system incorporating ultra-thin film structures was demonstratedusing a lithium anode and we validated that the components chosen along with the design of the system could survive the expected thermal cycling, chemical and mechanical stability and long shelf-life. Our objective in Phase II will be to demonstrate aviable thin film, small area (0.5 x 0.5 cm x 5-10 micron thin), multi-voltage, lithium rechargeable polymer electrolyte battery stack, that delivers at least 100% more of the present energy density of existing state-of-the-art lithium ion batteries andgreater than 40-50% improvement in the rate capability and cost through the use of novel, ultra-thin, stable, polymer electrolytes and electrodes and ultra-thin current collectors with cycle life exceeding several thousand of cycles under deep dischargeconditions and several other improvements foreseen in performance. Key areas include, a room temperature polymer electrolyte battery exceeding 250 Wh/kg, the development of new electrode structures, higher conducting polymer electrolytes, and ability tofabricate multi-voltage batteries in high speed, low cost and any capacity.