Zinc-Ion Microbatteries with High Operando Dynamic Stretchability Designed to Operate in Extreme Environments

Abstract

Highly stretchable and cycle-stable (high operando dynamic stretchable) zinc-ion microbatteries that are nonharmful, environmentally friendly, and low cost are developed herein for the first time. Stretchable zinc-ion microbatteries (SZIMBs) are fabricated by simultaneously incorporating the facile synthesis of conducting polymer-intercalated vanadium oxide nanofibers as flexible and elastic cathode materials; the construction, design, and assembly of wavy-type microdevices; and pre-zincation techniques that break stereotypes. The poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT)-intercalated zinc vanadium oxide nanofiber zinc-ion microbatteries (E-ZVONF-SZIMBs) manufactured by combining these strategies exhibit a maximum specific capacity of 0.16 mAh cm-2, high energy density of 0.112 mWh cm-2, and high power density of 3.5 mW cm-2 and maintain 83.7% of the initial specific capacity after 500 cycles. The E-ZVONF-SZIMBs maintain 78.9% of their initial specific capacity even after 7000 mechanical stretching/bending tests, exhibiting excellent operando dynamic stretchability. The stretchable zinc-ion microbatteries show practical feasibility by maintaining 80% and 90% of the capacity at -20 and 60 degrees C under 200% strain, respectively. These remarkable achievements in the field of stretchable zinc-ion microbatteries are expected to have significant implications for the development of future device platforms. Intercalating conducting polymers into the interlayer spacing of vanadate nanofibers, as cathode materials for stretchable zinc-ion microbatteries (SZIMBs), enhances the electrochemical performance and elasticity of the vanadate structure. Short-induced pre-zincation (SIPZ) affords a thinner SZIMB anode, thereby enhancing the flexibility of wavy-type SZIMBs. These combined approaches confer high stretchability and stable electrochemical performance to the SZIMBs, even under extreme environments.image