Textile Lithium Battery
Overview
PolyU has developed the revolutionary flexible, fast-charging lithium batteries that fit in perfectly with wearable electronics in this new era. Not only flexible, compact, and high in charge capacity, but our batteries also withstand the mechanical wear and tear without losing its functions or compromising user safety, making it the perfect energy source for all flexible gadgets. This technology has been commercialised through PolyU academic-led start-up EightOSix Technology Company Limited.
Research completion
2019
Commercialisation opportunities
IP licensing, Collaboration for product development, technology development in various application segments; Product distribution
Problem addressed
The electronic devices are getting flexible, lighter and smaller nowadays. For example, the smart clothing, one of the fastest growing wearables, the batteries are preferable flexible and washable to provide satisfactory users’ experience, including the comfort and safety. But the Lithium battery in the market are rigid and bulky, which are hardly be integrated onto the flexible electronics.
Innovation
- We have developed a patented coating technology to manufacture the durable and highly conductive fabrics, namely the ‘Polymer-Assisted Metal Deposition’ (PAMD). By using the metal-coated textiles as the current collector of battery electrodes, we have successfully eliminated the metallic foil used in conventional battery assembly.
- Based on the textiles, we developed the truly flexible lithium battery. As textile is light, flexible, durable and has large specific surface areas, our batteries show excellent mechanical flexibility and high energy density.
Key impact
- At present, these textile-based batteries could achieve a high energy density (>450 Wh/L), remarkable flexibility (100% capacity @1000 folding cycles, bending radius ~1mm), and excellent cyclic stability (>80% capacity @500 charge/discharge cycles).
- When compared to conventional batteries, our textile-based batteries are really stable under deformation and have proved to be penetration- and impact-safe. When it was hammered, pierced through by nails, and cut with scissors, there was no overheating, catching fire or bursting.
Award
- Gold Medal at the 47th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva
- Silver Medal at the 43th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva
- PolyU Micro Fund 2021
Application
- Different wearable and flexible electronics
Patent
- Patent: CN102995395B
- Patent: US20200259185A1
- Patent: WO 2016/139521
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)
With over 80 years of proud tradition and ranking among the world’s top 100 institutions, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) aspires to be a leading university with world-class research and education.
PolyU is a home for educating thinkers, discoverers, innovators and communicators in delivering positive impact. We are committed to nurturing tomorrow’s leaders today, through a holistic education that provides graduates unrivaled placements to thrive in communities, industries and businesses.
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