Conductive polymeric current collectors for flexible and wireless-chargeable lithium-ion batteries

초록

The rapid growth of wearable electronics has intensified the need for lightweight, flexible, and high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the integration of conventional LIBs into deformable systems is hindered by the mechanical rigidity of traditional metal current collectors. In this study, we introduce a novel flexible LIB architecture employing a conductive polymeric current collector (CPC). The CPC is fabricated via thermal deposition of ultrathin Cu and Al layers onto a polypropylene substrate. This significantly reduces the weight of the cell while providing high mechanical stability and flexibility. Pouch-type full cells assembled with CPC-based electrodes demonstrates excellent cycling performance, retaining capacity for over 100 cycles even when subjected to repeated bending and crumpling. Furthermore, a custom lab-scale wireless power transfer (WPT) is established to evaluate the CPC cells under untethered operation. Notably, the wireless charging rate is programmable through input current control, allowing for dynamic adjustment in charging speed and real-time monitoring of battery performance. The CPC-based cells exhibit stable WPT cycling behavior even under mechanical deformation. These results position CPC as a scalable and multifunctional platform for next-generation flexible LIBs, combining mechanical compliance, electrochemical reliability, and adaptive wireless charging-offering promising potential for wearable, foldable, and autonomous electronic systems.

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