Coaxial 3D-printing constructing all-in-one fibrous lithium-, sodium-, and zinc-ion batteries

For battery manufacturing, 3D printing has merits of the unique intelligent and continuous characteristics. To construct the battery anode, cathode, and electrolyte network skeletons simultaneously via one-step 3D printing is a promising development direction. Here, a universal coaxial 3D printing approach was applied to construct the all-in-one fibrous lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), and aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) skeletons in one-step. The obtained anode, cathode, and separator inks can be scaled up to kilograms scale and have the obvious shear thinning characteristics, which are conducive to the large-scale coaxial 3D printing. Moreover, all the 3D printing constructed all-in-one fibrous LIBs, SIBs, and AZIBs have good electrochemical performances. The obtained all-in-one fibrous LIBs exhibit the capacity of 60 mAh g(-1), high-rate capability up-to 510 mA g(-1) with 33 mAh g(-1), and long cycle stability up-to 1000 cycles. Meanwhile, the all-in-one fibrous SIBs deliver the high capacity (50 mAh g(-1)), high-rate capability (31 mAh g(-1) at 500 mA g(-1)), and long cycle stability (2000 cycles). Similarly, the prepared AZIBs reveal the high capacity (121 mAh g(-1)), high-rate capability (68 mAh g(-1) at 1600 mA g(-1)), and long cycle stability. This coaxial 3D printing strategy to construct all-in-one fibrous filaments provides a new method for the functional fibrous energy storage system.

Automated summary

This paper introduces a method of constructing battery skeletons using 3D printing technology, and successfully prepares multifunctional fibrous lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, and aqueous zinc-ion batteries. The battery skeletons prepared by this method have good electrochemical performance, showing high capacity, high-rate capability, and long cycle stability.