Invited Paper MS+AS+EM+EN+NS+TF-MoM8
Manufacturing a Three-dimensional, Solid-state Rechargeable Battery

Monday, October 28, 2013, 10:40 am, Room 202 B

There are two main limitations to the rate of charging for Li-ion batteries: slow diffusion of Li⁺ into the electrodes and slow diffusion between them. The synthesis of high surface area electrodes has been shown to dramatically enhance performance because reducing the particle size of the electrode material reduces the distance the Li⁺ ions have to diffuse. The problem of decreasing the Li⁺ diffusion length between electrodes has not yet been solved. We are working to incorporate high surface area foams of a novel anode material into a new battery architecture wherein the foam is conformally coated with an electrolyte made by electrochemical deposition, then surrounded by the cathode electrode. The significant advantage to this geometry is that the diffusion length for Li⁺ between the cathode and anode will be dramatically reduced, which should lead to much faster charging rates. However, if this battery is going to be useful and commercializable, it must be manufactured using low cost, reliable, scalable methods. I will present preliminary results on the initial stages of the battery architecture, including the fabrication of anode foams conformally coated with a polymer electrolyte. The reversibility of the intercalation into the anode and the ionic conductivity of the polymer electrolyte will be discussed.