High-Voltage Liquid-Electrolyte Microbatteries Inspired from Electric Eels

We present high-voltage liquid-electrolyte microbatteries, inspired from the high-voltage generation mechanism of electric eels using serially connected multiple-cell arrays. In the microbatteries, we purge air into the electrolyte filled in a channel layer to isolate serially connected multiple cell arrays using three surface-tension valves (cell-front, outlet, and cell-end valves). Compared to the previous multi-cell stack or interconnection, present microbatteries provide a reduced multi-cell charging time. We have designed and characterized four different prototypes C1, C10, C20, and C40 having 1, 10, 20, and 40 cells, respectively. In the experimental study, the threshold pressures of cell-front, outlet, and cell-end valves were measured as $460{\pm}47$, $1,000{\pm}53$, and $2,800{\pm}170$ Pa, respectively. The average charging time for C40 was measured as $26.8{\pm}4.9$ seconds where the electrolyte and air flow-rates are 100 and $10{\mu}l/min$, respectively. Microbatteries showed the maximum voltage of 12 V (C40), the maximum power density of $110{\mu}W/cm^2$ (C40), and the maximum power capacity of $2.1{\mu}Ah/cm^2$ (C40). We also proposed a tapered-channel to remove the reaction gas from the cell chamber using a surface tension effect. The present microbatteries are applicable to high-voltage portable power devices.

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