In general, a battery is made of one or several galvanic cells, where each cell consists of cathode, anode, separator, and in many cases current collectors. In flexible batteries all these components need to be flexible. These batteries can be fabricated into different shapes and sizes and by different methods.
As the market demand for wearable technologies continues to grow, the future of flexible batteries is promising, and further advances are likely. As with all batteries, one hurdle to overcome is their safe disposal and recycling, which should come as the technology and associated applications become circular.
Flexible batteries are emerging as a powerful platform due to the rise of IoT, and wearable electronics, which cannot be powered by rigid Li-ion batteries. These flexible applications require the rational design of battery materials, structures, and configurations to adapt their shape-changing conditions.
The rapidly escalating development of wearable devices, flexible electronics and bendable displays demands power sources that match the agility of these systems. Standard, rigid batteries may soon be a thing of the past as thin, flexible batteries – made of lightweight materials that can be easily twisted, bent or stretched – reach the market.
This exploration gives birth to flexible batteries, particularly lithium-based batteries, promising materials for ultra-modern, smart wearable devices. In recent years, research has focused on flexible batteries because of their potential to enable more adaptable, flexible, and comfortable electronic products.
Several types of flexible batteries are currently available. These batteries are rechargeable and include lithiumion or zinc-carbon systems placed on conductive polymer current collectors.
OverviewBasic methods and designsFlexible secondary (rechargeable) batteriesFlexible primary batteriesBusiness and commercializationSee also
Flexible batteries are batteries, both primary and secondary, that are designed to be conformal and flexible, unlike traditional rigid ones. They can maintain their characteristic shape even against continual bending or twisting. The increasing interest in portable and flexible electronics has led to the development of flexible batteries which can be implemented in products such as smart cards, wearable electronics, novelty packaging, flexible displays and transdermal drug delivery patches. …