NEW Li-ION BATTERY MADE BY STANFORD RESEARCHERS

The Transparent Li-ion Battery

                                                                   
                      Transparent electronics is an emerging and promising technology for the next generation of optoelectronic devices. Transparent devices have been fabricated for various applications, including transistors, optical circuits displays, touch screens, and solar cells. However, a key component in portable electronics, the battery, until now had bee unsuccessful in staking its place in transparent optoelectronics.
Consequently, fully integrated and transparent devices were too tough to be realized because the battery occupies a considerable footprint area and volume in these devices (e.g., cell phones and tablet computers). Typically, a battery is composed of electrode materials, current collectors, electrolyte, separators, and packaging . None of them are transparent except for the electrolyte. Furthermore, as these components are in series, all of them must be clear to make the whole device transparent. A widely used method for making transparent devices is to reduce the thickness of active materials down to much less than their optical absorption length, as demonstrated in carbon nanotubes graphene, and organic semiconductors. However, this approach is not suitable for batteries, because, to our knowledge, no battery material has an absorption length long enough in the full voltage window.

Structure of the Battery

                                                                             
Yi Cui and Yuan Yang  are the persons behind this revolutionary invention which promises us transparent batteries.The electrodes pose the biggest challenge in making transparent lithium ion batteries as both anode and cathode materials are typically opaque. Yi Cui's team solved this problem by making them very thin which would make the devices which use lithium ion batteries lose their weight.

                        They arranged the  the electrode materials into grid of trenches in clear polydimethysiloxane (PDMS) which is  a transparent, slight rubbery compound which is very cheap and is used in plastic surgery and contact lenses.The researchers stacked and aligned the grids with additional layers of electrodes so that it is possible to increase the battery's energy storage without sacrificing its transparency.the researchers using silicon lithography ,liquid silicone (PDMS) made this battery.Then poured over the silicon wafer fold and cured; then thy dripped the electrode chemicals into the molded narrow channels and capillary action draws the chemical into long,thin ridges.Next they precisely placed an electrolyte layer between  two electrodes,and created one functional battery.Similarly multiple layers can be added to create a larger and a powerful  battery which is thin. 

So be ready not to get surprised if you start seeing transparent devices around you. 


                                             
                                         

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