Breaking Speed Barriers: Rapid Sintering of Multilayer All-Solid-State Microbatteries

A microbattery is a compact energy storage that provides power to small-scale electronic components and systems. Lithium-ion chemistry with organic electrolytes in the coin cell form and solid-state thin film type represented the main commercial microbatteries. However, the fabrication process for composite electrodes and using liquid electrolytes have become increasingly incompatible with the required microfabrication process. The proposed project aims to deploy a sequential slurry deposition/rapid sintering technology to fabricate oxide-based multilayer solid-state batteries with higher energy and power. The slurry method is straightforward: mixing battery material powders in a solvent, binder, and dispersant and then applied on the substrates as coatings or green tapes. The multiple battery anode/electrolyte/cathode layers will be integrated and then sintered by our proprietary ultrafast sintering process in seconds to minutes at high temperatures to create a solid-state microbattery. We will examine the materials, structures, thicknesses, processing conditions, and their interactions with each other to develop solid-state microbatteries and explore scale-up feasibility combined with industrial multilayer ceramic production technologies. The method provides significant advantages to solid-state microbattery in reducing internal resistance by increasing the electrolyte density and ionic conductivity, preventing electrolyte-electrode interfacial diffusion, and maintaining fine electrode microstructure. The market for micro batteries is experiencing growth due to increasing demand for smaller, more efficient electronic devices like wearables, IoT gadgets, and medical implants and devices that require reliable and compact power sources. The solid-state microbatteries produced with a small footprint, storable power to the maximum possible, and safety will contribute to the realization of compact and high-performance IoT devices and wearables. Using oxide-based materials with high thermal resistance allows installation in high temperatures and harsh environments. This may drive dramatic developments for IoT devices that collect data in factories, road infrastructure, plants, and other harsh environments. Scaled manufacturing will foster workforce development opportunities in specialized skills, knowledge, and advanced manufacturing.