Advanced manufacturing approaches for electrochemical energy storage devices

Abstract

Advancements in electrochemical energy storage devices such as batteries and supercapacitors are vital for a sustainable energy future. Significant progress has been made in developing novel materials for these devices, but less attention has focused on developments in electrode and device manufacturing. While electrodes are traditionally made through slurry casting of electrochemically active material, advanced manufacturing techniques enable patterning of novel electrode architectures and control of device geometries in real-time, which can potentially result in electrodes with increased loading, improved electrochemical performance, and added functionality, such as flexibility and wearability. These inexpensive methods are particularly suited for lab-scale research and start-up companies, as they enable rapid prototyping without a full device production line. The present review describes three main methods of advanced manufacturing (inkjet printing, direct ink writing, and laser-induced graphene techniques) and evaluates the performance of batteries and supercapacitors fabricated via these methods in comparison to traditionally manufactured devices.