You Wouldn’t Download A … Battery?

That Would Be Like Downloading A Car!

The full details of Additive Manufacturing of Batteries is behind a paywall but you can take a look at the abstract for free as well as checking out the details that Hackaday shared.  The paper is a review of the feasibility of printing out batteries and covers a variety of possible designs from inkjet printing and fused deposition printing through to the use of holographic lithography to produce high-performance lithium-ion batteries.  While many of the designs are not feasible to for consumer level 3D printers, some utilize methods that a those printers are capable of, albeit with rather esoteric and potentially dangerous ingredients.

The most interesting news is the idea that 3D printed anodes and cathodes could be printed out in such a way as to greatly increase their surface area compared to traditional designs which will have a positive effect on the battery’s performance.  If you are going to look into this type of project or any of the others listed in the article, please do become intimately familiar with any and all associated safety precautions.