Advancing the Performance of Zinc Ion Battery (ZIB) Through Additive Manufacturing of Tailored Structured Electrode Design with Hierarchical Porosity and Microchannel

Due to its abundant, high volumetric capacity, and stable redox potential in water, Zn holds significant potential as an anode material for revitalizing rechargeable batteries beyond lithium-ion battery systems. Nevertheless, the use of alkaline Zn anodes is hindered by issues such as limited cycling durability and the growth of Zn dendrites, which result in short circuits and compromise both the performance and safety of the batteries. In recent years, additive manufacturing has emerged as a viable solution to address dendrite formation in zinc-ion batteries. This approach involves fabricating tailored electrode structures using the direct ink writing (DIW) 3D printing technique. By controlling pore sizes, distribution, and connectivity, 3D-printed Zn structures can provide a highly interconnected high surface area, allowing for improved electrolyte accessibility to electrode surfaces while accommodating its volume change.<br/>In this study, we present a fully 3D-printed flexible zinc-ion battery (ZIB) with an engineered pore structure and surface area. First, we developed a Zn-based ink for the anode and a V2O5 ink for the cathode using high-power vacuum mixing, ensuring suitable rheological properties for direct ink writing (DIW) 3D printing. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the ink formulation, rheological characteristics, and device performance to describe formulation-rheology-printability–functional properties relationships. A remarkable 6-fold improvement in areal capacity is achieved in 3D printed Zn-V2O5 battery with control samples. Additionally, printing-induced directional channels into the electrodes provide high Zn ion diffusion towards the cathode resulting in the high specific capacity of 190 mAh/g at 1 mA/cm2 and long-term cyclic stability. In this presentation, we will discuss the tailored structured electrode design with hierarchical porosity and microchannel, ink formulation-rheology-3D printability relationship, and the electrochemical performance of the additively manufactured zinc ion battery.