The Internet of Things (IoT) holds immense promise for energy sustainability but has a critical limitation: traditional energy storage cannot meet the power, energy, and size requirements of devices that power the IoT. Batteries that utilize specialized 3D geometries can meet these requirements, but manufacturing these batteries is currently time-intensive, inflexible, and requires laborious post-process integration. I will address these limitations by developing a manufacturing workflow that can print customized, integrated energy storage on-demand.
First, I will develop a specialized manufacturing platform with custom printheads and tools. I will use this platform to 3D print a customized battery using a single-step, automated procedure that simplifies the production process. Secondly, I will develop a methodology to create high-resolution 3D maps of nonplanar surfaces, which will unlock the capability of printing batteries on any surface. Together, these will create a new paradigm for designing and manufacturing batteries to power the IoT.
Advisor: Corie Cobb – Mechanical Engineering