Additive manufacturing of novel 3D ceramic electrodes for high-power-density batteries

The development of batteries with high-specific power and energy densities will enable more efficient implementation of all-electric aircraft and urban air mobility technologies. Additive manufacturing technologies can be leveraged to produce engineered three-dimensional electrode structures with increased electrolyte/electrode interfacial area and high density, yielding increased power and energy densities. In this work, a novel engineered three-dimensional interdigitated LiFePO₄ cathode structure was designed and manufactured using direct-write additive manufacturing technology, which allowed for the deposition of highly solid-loaded inks with excellent dimensional accuracy. Ink rheology was adjusted to optimize material characteristics of the final electrodes, including the addition of carbon nanoparticles to increase the final electrode conductivity. Printed cathodes were then sintered and characterized. The sintered electrodes possessed greater structural stability and a surface area approximately 190% greater than similarly produced devices reported in the literature. Finally, the characterization of the manufactured electrodes showed uniform dispersion of conductive carbon nanopowder throughout the microstructure, which could increase the final conductivity of the electrodes.