A Review of 3D Printing Batteries

To stabilize the Earth's climate, large-scale transition is needed to non-carbon-emitting renewable energy technologies like wind and solar energy. Although these renewable energy sources are now lower-cost than fossil fuels, their inherent intermittency makes them unable to supply a constant load without storage. To address these challenges, rechargeable electric batteries are currently the most promising option; however, their high capital costs limit current deployment velocities. To both reduce the cost as well as improve performance, 3D printing technology has emerged as a promising solution. This literature review provides state-of-the-art enhancements of battery properties with 3D printing, including efficiency, mechanical stability, energy and power density, customizability and sizing, production process efficiency, material conservation, and environmental sustainability as well as the progress in solid-state batteries. The principles, advantages, limitations, and recent advancements associated with the most common types of 3D printing are reviewed focusing on their contributions to the battery field. 3D printing battery components as well as full batteries offer design flexibility, geometric freedom, and material flexibility, reduce pack weight, minimize material waste, increase the range of applications, and have the potential to reduce costs. As 3D printing technologies become more accessible, the prospect of cost-effective production for customized batteries is extremely promising.