Recent Technological Advances In Flexible Electronics
RECENT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN FLEXIBLE ELECTRONICS 1AKSHAT JARIWALA, 2SHIJIN RAMESH
Department of Electronics and Telecommunication engineering, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, India Department of Electronics and Telecommunication engineering, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, India
Abstract: Flexible electronics is a new field of research that is becoming popular day by day. The arrival of new era of foldable power sources in integration with electronics has led to growing demand for portable, flexible roll-up displays, biomedical sensors and wearable devices. Devices that are bendable or even wearable are unique in their functionality and convenience. Not only do they have excellent electrochemical performance but also there is a drastic reduction in the devices tendency to break or damage under pressure. We shall discuss about some of the latest technological innovations in foldable electronics like flexible solar cells and place special focus on cable-type flexible batteries. We shall also introduce various functional electrodes explored for flexible lithium ion batteries based on carbon nanotubes, graphene paper and also on a newly advanced technology of using inkjet printable ink based on graphene(or prepared from graphene) and flexible LEDs. A comprehensive discussion on supercapacitors and Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) which are at the forefront of present day energy storage technologies is dealt within this paper. These devices are high in demand in the modern world and provide an avenue for extensive research to obtain superior next generation technologies. Keywords: cable-type, carbon nanotubes, cable-type, graphene, inkjet, LEDs, PEMFCs, supercapacitors. INTRODUCTION
considerable advancement in conventional battery
In recent times, the new emerging trend of
flexible energy storage systems in integration with
FLEXIBLE ENERGY STORAGE
electronic equipment’s has taken a rapid growth and
have garnered to become the cynosure of all eyes.
There has always been a strong interest in portable
and flexible electronic equipment such as roll up
displays and wearable devices. In order to achieve
The various functional electrodes explored for
functionality of these devices in flexible form,
compliant battery units with high energy and power
density should be considered. The main purpose of
this invention is to free the development of innovative
energy storage systems from design limitation which
Carbon nanotubes have unique electrical,
is considered to be the most important technical pre-
optical, mechanical and thermal properties which
requisite. This paper includes discussion on recent
make them very attractive for a wide range of
progress made in the development of next generation
applications. They have high electrical conductivity
flexible energy storage systems such as lithium-ion
and electron mobility which has paved way for an
batteries, along with an overview of the progress
extensive study for their possible use in diverse
made in supercapacitors and flexible proton exchange
applications of flexible electronic devices. A structure
of thin, flexible lithium-ion battery was developed
using plain paper as a separator and free standing
In this paper, the present status and future
CNT thin films as current collectors. The current
development of each energy storage system such as
collectors and battery materials were integrated onto
lithium ion batteries, supercapacitors and proton
a single sheet of paper through a lamination process.
exchange membrane fuel cells is described based on
The thin lithium-ion paper battery was very thin of
approximately 300 micrometer thickness, had robust
conformable solid electrolytes and soft current
mechanical flexibility that could be bent up to a
collectors. A more focus has been dedicated to the
radius less than 6mm and a high energy density of
technological advances in flexible lithium ion
approximately 108 mAh/g. Despite of their excellent
batteries and supercapacitors which have managed to
performance, it was observed that direct coating of
gain maximum attraction and smartly expanded their
electrode slurry onto plain paper led to the occasional
application scope. The second half of the paper
internal shorting of the device due to the leakage of
describes the development of a new design concept
the electrode material through a large sized hole in
called cable type flexible lithium ion battery with
the paper. Therefore, an additional lamination process
Omni-directional flexibility that represents a
was required to apply a thin layer of polyvinylidene
Proceedings of Fifth IRAJ International Conference, 15th September 2013, Pune, India, ISBN: 978-93-82702-29-0
Recent Technological Advances In Flexible Electronics
extremely conductive electrodes. The resulting
flexible and binder free electrodes of approximately
patterns were found highly conductive and could lead
to low cost applications in flexible energy storage
interpenetrative nanocomposites of very long CNTs
systems. Inkjet printing is one of the most
vanadium oxide (V2O5) nanowires. These electrodes
sophisticated printing methods that is relatively
exhibit excellent electrochemical performance due to
inexpensive and highly scalable. It has been
their strong architecture that enables effective charge
previously explored as a method for fabricating
transportation and electrode integrity. The only
challenge to this is the use lithium metal as a counter
components. It is capable of printing large areas and
can create variety of substrates making it suitable for
next generation electronics. Inkjet printing with
graphene is extremely promising, but it is a tedious
task because it is difficult to produce an adequate
In a new approach to flexible energy storage
amount of graphene without compromising its
systems, the use of flexible electrode based on free-
electronic properties. Graphene is basic structural
standing graphene paper to be applied in lithium
element of graphite. Graphite often requires oxidizing
rechargeable batteries has been suggested. Graphene
conditions that makes the resulting graphene oxide
paper is a functional material which not only acts as
material less conductive than pure carbon. Pure
conducting agent but also as a current collector. The
unoxidizedgraphene can be achieved through
properties of graphene are attractive and intriguing to
exfoliation but the process requires solvents whose
engineers, in particular to designers and developers of
next generation electronic devices. It has a unique
combination of outstanding properties such as high mechanical strength, large surface area and high electrical conductivity which makes graphene paper a suitable base material for flexible energy storage devices. Graphene based flexible electrode can deliver significantly improved performances in electrochemical properties such as in energy density and power density and also has a better life cycle compared to non-flexible conventional electrode. This unique graphene paper of diameter 10 cm and thickness of 10 micrometer was prepared by
mechanically pressing a graphene aerogel. A
distinctive characteristic of the resulting graphene
Fig.1. Graphene based ink
paper was that it allowed graphene sheet folding
which could effectively enhance the accessibility of
Courtesy: The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters,
lithium ions and the electrolyte. Graphene when
integrated with vanadium oxide electrode results in
fabrication of thin, lightweight and flexible batteries.
The cathode material V2O5 is grown on graphene
paper by pulsed laser deposition (PLD – a well-
known technique in fabricating thin films with its
capacity to make high quality oxide ceramics with
batteries, LG chem. Ltd demonstrated a new concept
relatively fast deposition rates.) in a vacuum chamber
of a cable type lithium ion battery for better battery
at a base pressure less than 10-5 Torr. The target was
architecture significantly superior to conventional
prepared by cold pressing from a V2O5 power and
batteries. It resulted in better mechanical flexibility
that allowed maximum freedom in designing of a
device as the battery could be placed anywhere and
2.1.2.1Inkjet printable ink based on graphene
take up any shape. Its architecture consists of several
electrode (anode) strands coiled to form a hollow
Graphene is considered to be one of the most
spiral core with a multi-helix structure, surrounded by
ideal materials suitable for flexible electronics due to
a modified polyethylene terephthalate nonwoven
its remarkable properties. Its unique properties have
separator membrane. The next layers are aluminium
expanded its application in flexible electronics and
wires and tubular outer electrode (cathode) and
have helped researchers to come up with a new
finally the cable battery is sealed by a shrunken
advancement in it. A graphene based ink has been
packaging insulator. The hollow electrode structure
developed by scientists showing high conductivity
favours both electronic and mechanical properties of
and tolerance to bending. They used it to create inkjet
the battery. The linear shape and Omni-directional
print graphene patterns that could be used for
flexibility of the cable battery has helped the cell
Proceedings of Fifth IRAJ International Conference, 15th September 2013, Pune, India, ISBN: 978-93-82702-29-0
Recent Technological Advances In Flexible Electronics
In an addition to this, a bendable inorganic
thin film battery has been developed which enables the formation of high temperature annealed electrodes on polymer substrates. The lithium ion battery incorporating the new electrode was integrated with a flexible light emitting diode which demonstrated the feasibility of manufacturing an all in one flexible electronic system. A concern associated with this system is that the flexibility of the battery may mainly arise from the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sheet wrapping and not from the cell components.
Fig.3. Schematic structure and operational principle of Courtesy: Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry 12: 175–183
Also called ultracapacitors or double layer
capacitor, they are much more effective regenerative energy storage devices than conventional chemical batteries. Unlike regular capacitors, supercapacitors do not have the conventional dielectric. They have a double layer construction with two carbon electrodes immersed in an organic electrolyte. Supercapacitors are very useful in short duration power boost applications. They are already being used to provide backup power for memory in cell phones and microcomputers. They are also being considered as a
replacement for batteries in hybrid cars. These
Fig.2. Cable type lithium ion battery
supercapacitors are able to discharge on acceleration
Courtesy: Advanced materials, Volume 24, 5192-5197, October
and charge on braking of a vehicle. Hence, it has
several advantages, such as high power density, fast
charge and discharge mechanisms, long life cycle, no
chemical actions and low impedance. It has
These fuel cells convert chemical energy of
limitations like low energy density and availability of
the electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and
power for a short duration only. Research is being
oxygen into electrical energy. It basically consists of
an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte membrane separating the anode and cathode. Hydrogen is delivered to the anode and is split into protons and electrons. The protons (H+ions) pass through the electrolyte and reach the cathode. Simultaneously, the electrons reach the cathode after passing through a load and a stream of oxygen is transmitted to the cathode. The oxygen reacts with the protons and electrons reaching the cathode to form water molecules. The formation of water results in a release of energy. The practical efficiency of such a system is approximately 40-60%. However PEMFCs are compact and, therefore, being considered for vehicles and other applications such as mobile phones. It is also being considered for a substitute to alkaline fuel cells in space shuttles.
Fig.4. Double layer capacitor Courtesy: The Charge of the Ultra-Capacitors, IEEE Spectrum, November 2007
Proceedings of Fifth IRAJ International Conference, 15th September 2013, Pune, India, ISBN: 978-93-82702-29-0
Recent Technological Advances In Flexible Electronics
CONCLUSION REFERENCES
Flexible electronics is at the forefront of
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Proceedings of Fifth IRAJ International Conference, 15th September 2013, Pune, India, ISBN: 978-93-82702-29-0
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