Smart Dust Batteries Integrated with Near-Zero-Power Surveillance

Project Information

SMADBINS

Grant agreement ID: 101039802

DOI

10.3030/101039802

EC signature date 28 January 2022

Start date 1 May 2022

End date 30 April 2027

Funded under

• European Research Council (ERC)

Total cost

€ 1 498 624,00

EU contribution

€ 1 498 624,00

Coordinated by

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET CHEMNITZ
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SMADBINS (Smart Dust Batteries Integrated with Near-Zero-Power Surveillance)

Reporting period: 2022-05-01 to 2024-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The SMADBINS project is driven by the need to overcome significant challenges in the development and deployment of smart dust technology. Smart dust refers to tiny, intelligent systems that are as small as a few hundred micrometres and have a wide range of potential applications, from environmental sensing to medical diagnostics. However, the advancement of smart dust technology is currently hindered by the lack of an efficient, on-chip power source. Existing tiny generators, which rely on external energy sources like solar, face spatial and temporal limitations. Additionally, mainstream battery architectures, which require thick or tall electrodes, are not feasible on a scale smaller than 1 mm² due to difficulties in material deposition and stabilization. High-capacity materials such as lithium cobalt oxide and silicon are particularly challenging to synthesize and maintain at this scale. Furthermore, there is a pressing need for a low-power monitor to provide precise information about energy storage and battery health, which is crucial for real-world applications but remains unexplored.
The SMADBINS project aims to address these challenges by developing the first smart dust battery with a low-power charge status monitor, achieving a footprint capacity of more than 10 mAh/cm² within a 1 mm² area. This project proposes a novel micro-origami technology for on-chip microbatteries using aqueous zinc battery chemistry. The specific objectives include developing energy-dense on-chip microbatteries that create batteries with a footprint capacity of 10 mAh/cm², far exceeding current capacities and enabling greater functionality. Additionally, the project aims to embed near-zero-power battery monitors to provide essential data on energy storage and health, facilitating efficient power management.
The successful implementation of SMADBINS is expected to significantly advance the field of microbatteries and smart dust technology. By providing a reliable and dense power source, smart dust devices can operate independently and in a broader range of environments, enhancing their autonomy and functionality. Innovations in battery chemistry and microfabrication will stimulate further research and applications, potentially leading to new discoveries and technological advancements. Overcoming the current limitations of smart dust technology will enable its use in various fields such as environmental monitoring, healthcare, and more, leading to improved data collection, diagnostics, and overall technological progress. In summary, the SMADBINS project is set to revolutionize smart dust technology by introducing a new paradigm in microbattery development, addressing critical power supply issues, and paving the way for autonomous, intelligent microsystems.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The project's initial phase, spanning the first two years, focuses on achieving high capacity and energy efficiency through stable material development. This involves creating an artificial solid electrolyte interphase for a highly reversible zinc anode and developing a hydrogel electrolyte for efficient manganese dioxide (MnO2) deposition and actuation. The zinc anode interphase, constructed from a zincophilic polymer called polyimide, enhances zinc transport and stability. This polymer is also photopatternable, making it compatible with standard microfabrication processes, which allows it to be used in constructing micro-Swiss-roll electrodes.
Significant progress has been made with the development of these micro-Swiss-roll electrodes. The integration of the photopatternable polyimide into the micro-origami technology has enabled the fabrication of electrodes with a high benchmark footprint capacity of up to 3.3 mAh/cm² within a footprint of 0.75 mm², maintaining a reversible capacity of over 1 mAh/cm² for 150 cycles. These electrodes have been successfully integrated with simple pressure sensors, demonstrating their potential for practical deployment in smart dust applications.
Furthermore, the project explored the use of sustainable materials, leading to the development of a glucose-based block copolymer. This polymer enhances zinc reversibility, suppresses corrosion, and prevents dendrite formation, all of which are critical for maintaining battery efficiency. The glucose-based polymer can also be patterned on a chip using dry etching techniques, adding to its versatility.
Another notable advancement is the creation of a photolithographable electrolyte, which integrates caffeine molecules into a UV-crosslinked polyacrylamide hydrogel. This innovative electrolyte passivates the zinc anode, preventing chemical corrosion and enabling the battery to cycle for over 700 cycles with an 80% depth of discharge. This development has been successfully integrated into a micro-Swiss-roll battery, achieving a footprint of 0.136 mm² and retaining 75% of its capacity over 200 cycles at a 90% depth of discharge.
The project also made strides in developing a magnetic alignment system for the micro-origami process. Utilizing superconducting magnets from repurposed MRI tools, the team created a homogeneous magnetic field to ensure precise roll-up processes. This system is crucial for the controlled assembly of micro-origami batteries, minimizing misalignment and enhancing overall battery performance.
In addition to the hardware advancements, the project has developed a polyaniline-based electrochemical transistor to monitor charge storage within the batteries. This low-power monitor is essential for providing real-time data on energy storage and battery health, facilitating efficient power management in smart dust applications.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The SMADBINS project has already surpassed the microscale battery limit of 1 mm2, marking a significant breakthrough in the field of microbattery fabrication. By pushing the limit to the deep-sub-millimeter scale (< 0.1 square millimeter), we have achieved a remarkable advancement that significantly exceeds the current state-of-the-art. This achievement demonstrates our ability to miniaturize energy storage devices beyond conventional boundaries and paves the way for a new era of ultra-compact onboard power sources.
The interdisciplinary nature of the SMADBINS project, combining materials science and microscale engineering, has led to significant breakthroughs in the miniaturization and performance enhancement of microsystems. The innovative micro-origami technology not only addresses current limitations in energy storage but also opens up new possibilities for autonomous and intelligent microsystems. These advancements are poised to have a profound impact on various fields, including medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and industrial automation.
Publications stemming from this project have highlighted the transformative potential of micro-origami technology. For instance, an invited paper in the MRS Bulletin special issue on "Materials for Powering Miniature Robots" systematically discusses solutions for onboard energy storage in small-scale robots, showcasing micro-origami technology as a breakthrough in creating compact, high-capacity microbatteries. Another invited paper in Advanced Energy Materials explores energy management strategies for microrobotic swarms, emphasizing the integration of material engineering into device design.