Printed Transparent Thin Film Zn-MnO2 Battery. Issue 4 (25th February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lao-atiman, Woranunt; Julaphatachote, Thanatham; Boonmongkolras, Passarut; Kheawhom, Soorathep
• Is Part Of: Journal of the Electrochemical Society. Volume 164:Issue 4(2017)
• Page Start: A859
• Page End: A863
• Publication Date: 2017-02-25
• Subjects: micro-electrode array -- printed Zn-MnO2 battery -- screen-printing -- transparent battery; Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; 541.3705
• DOI: 10.1149/2.1511704jes
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-4651

Abstract

Abstract : In this work, transparent thin film zinc-manganese dioxide (Zn-MnO2 ) batteries were fabricated using an inexpensive screen-printing technique. Both electrodes were fabricated as micro-electrode arrays with feature size of 50 μm, which are below resolution of human eyes. Thus, the electrodes appeared transparent. Moreover, a transparent alkaline polymer gel electrolyte (PGE) film prepared by polymerization of acrylate, potassium hydroxide and water was used as a quasi-solid-state electrolyte. The PGE film functioned as both an electrolyte and an insulator/separator. Three patterns of the micro-electrodes with different percentages of opening area (75%, 80% and 85%) were investigated. The open-circuit voltages of the batteries fabricated were 1.25 V. Ohmic loss zones were 0.1–2.0 mA.cm − 2 . The battery with an opening area of 80% provided an average transparency of 90% without significantly affecting battery performance. Moreover, energy density of the battery could be further increased by increasing the thickness of the electrodes. By increasing the thickness of the micro-electrodes upto 80 μm, energy density of the battery was significantly enhanced without loosing its transparency.