A Canadian research team may have developed the first flexible battery in the world that is capable of withstanding machine washing. The battery can be stretched out to double its original size, and can survive after being tossed into a washing machine. These advantages will contribute to the future development of wearables such as electronic and smart clothing.
The ability to track health conditions such as heart rates, muscle development, and respiration while wearing a certain type of smart clothing can be advantageous for the medical industry. Dr. Ngoc Tan Nguyen, a researcher at the University of British Columbia (UBC), commented that wearable electronics is a large market, and that flexible batteries serve as a key component in the corresponding field. However, as existing stretchable batteries are still incapable of being washed, they cannot fulfill daily needs.
The team has decided to fill up this void by creating a new type of battery that is laundry friendly. At present, most existing batteries on the market are covered with hard shells. The research team at UBC has inserted fragments grinded from key compounds, such as zinc and manganese dioxide, into polymers, such as rubber and plastic, in order to extend their flexibility and ductility. The outer shell of their battery is a shield that is formed with layers of ultra-thin polyers, which attains air tightness, is waterproof , and can be used repeatedly.
（Source：UBC）
Nguyen pointed out that the research team has also adopted the safer zinc and manganese batteries since ruptured and damaged lithium-ion batteries would yield toxic compounds. It is necessary to choose safer compounds for wearables that are worn on human bodies, Nguyen said.
The new battery is flexible and can be stretched to twice its original size. Containing a specific capacity of 160mAh, the battery is able to preserve 75% of the capacity after 500 charging and discharging cycles. Despite fewer charging and discharging cycles, as well as a lower capacity, compared to lithium-ion batteries, the leak-proofness of the new battery is astounding, and it has managed to survive 39 rounds of machine washing.
Bahar Iranpour, a member of the research team, commented that they had tested the battery in household and commercial washing machines, and the battery managed to survive afterwards with no malfunctions.
John Madden, the Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UBC, pointed out that the material used by the research team is extremely low in cost, making it relatively affordable for mass production. The research team is currently trying to enlarge the power output and lifespan of the battery, and has announced good news. The new product has aroused commercial interests, and is expected to sit on a similar level of cost to that of standard storage batteries, which the team hopes to apply on smart watches and patches, as well as smart clothing, in the future.
(Cover photo source: pixabay)