Practical fiber batteries for warables based on thermally-drawn Zn-MnO2

The concept of the Internet-of-Things has inspired growth in the field of wearable technology, from aesthetically-pleasing color changing fabrics to practical heart rate monitors, all interwoven into any variety of clothes (i.e.: shirts, pants, hats, blankets, bags, etc.). For a continuously operating wearable system, an energy storage vessel is needed: a battery. Fabric-based systems demand that the battery be integrated in the fabric themselves. The primary challenge for such an integrated battery is rendering the active components of a battery (cathode, anode, and electrolyte) into a fiber. Existingchallenges for fiber batteries include toxic/flammable materials, low power output, and complicated assembly approaches. This work seeks to address both assembly and safety issues by developing an easily manufacturable fiber battery by eventually utilizing a thermal draw tower using an inherently safe Zn-ion chemistry (Zn/MnO2) with a gel polymer electrolyte (GPE). The GPE offers a high ionic conductivity, mechanical properties compatible with thermal draw towers, and provides a physical separator between cathode and anode. In the end, a lab-scale fiber battery was demonstrated using a properly formulated GPE. In addition, the GPE was properly drawn through the thermal draw tower, demonstrating the feasibility of drawing the entire fiber battery.--Author's abstract