This Small Business Innovation Research(SBIR) Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of printing and integrating custom, unconventional form factor batteries utilizing a zinc-metal oxide battery chemistry with a novel ionic liquid gel electrolyte into next generation robotic systems. Conventional batteries have been unable to address the inherently challenging power system needs of robots: light and mobile, inherently safe, composed of cheap and sustainable materials, easily integrateable into non-planar formats, and able to survive extreme environments. As the field of robotics advances, what is being demanded of its batteries is a fundamental evolution in its materials, engineering, and architecture. Solution-based print manufacturing is used because the fabrication method is dynamic and enables batteries to be manufactured in a variety of form factors and on planar and non-planar substrates. In robotic devices, batteries can be incorporated into structural materials, conformably coated onto surfaces, or integrated within the electronic circuit boards to enable greater power performance that will increase the run-life and functionality of the robot. The aims of this project are to benchmark its battery technology's cycle life and extreme environmental stability capabilities, demonstrate the printing of custom series and parallel battery system configurations, and showcase its unique flexibility properties.
The broader impacts/commercial potential of this project are the establishment of a new battery technology and manufacturing paradigm which can be disruptive to markets requiring novel device functionality and form factors. The significant reduction of the cost and environmental impact of batteries offer an opportunity to key segments such as robotics the opportunity to repurpose and revitalize the printing industry to manufacture next generation batteries. Success in this project will showcase this battery technology's feature set and manufacturing methodology to further differentiate itself from its competitors, increase customer interest, secure early customer development funding or partnerships, and meet specifications needed to scale towards producing commercial products. Past approaches to battery miniaturization have been met with significant barriers that have limited market acceptance and restrained development of a variety of burgeoning fields requiring portable power. A prime example is the robotics market and more specifically the wireless and wearable technologies sectors, which could be revolutionized by the battery technology and manufacturing approach presented in this project.
" was to develop and characterize a novel, thin, rechargeable, inherently safe, and printable battery, known as Zinc PolyTM, and characterize its capabilities for a variety of portable, highly novel form factor applications. Zinc PolyTM is a zinc-based battery chemistry that leverages a high conductivity polymer electrolyte (HCPE), which enables a differentiating set of capabilities not seen in any other battery chemistries thus far. The capabilities that potential customers have identified as most compelling include Zinc Poly‘s high volumetric energy density, rechargeability, low materials and manufacturing cost, inherent safety, printability, and form factor flexibility. The project was completed by Imprint Energy, Inc., a UC Berkeley spin-out that has within the timeline of this Phase I/IB SBIR project, expanded from two to eight employees, secured additional seed funding from multiple investors, received additional grants, entered a revenue-bearing project for a potential customer, and moved from the university to their own lab facility in Alameda, California. In completing this Phase I project, Imprint Energy gained greater understanding of the Zinc Poly battery chemistry with respect to processing, performance stability, environmental exposure, and real-use application testing. The application testing milestones in particular have been utilized to directly influence prototyping and demonstration discussions both internally with the application development team, as well as with external partners and early customers. Ultimately, the research and commercially-relevant findings from this project will lead to greater understanding of a new, disruptive battery chemistry with applicability to a number of applications. As a direct result of the work completed in this project, several customers from a variety of industries including the medical device, consumer electronics, printable electronics, wearable electronics ,and robotics sectors, have expressed strong interest to evaluate, partner, and co-develop the technology with Imprint Energy. Potential partners include materials suppliers, application developers, and contract manufacturers.
