Why Chinese team’s flexible organic battery could change the face of wearables

Chinese scientists have developed a flexible and safe organic lithium-ion battery that could be suitable for use in wearable electronics and in extreme conditions.The breakthrough stems from an innovative organic cathode material that enables efficient and stable performance across an extreme temperature range, from far below freezing to as hot as 80 degrees Celsius (176 degrees Fahrenheit).Conventional lithium-ion batteries typically use inorganic minerals such as lithium cobalt oxide or lithium iron phosphate as cathode materials. Their production costs depend on available mineral resources, and they pose safety risks when colliding or overheating.Flexible organic materials’ resistance to bending makes them promising candidates for wearable devices. Photo: HandoutTo address these challenges, researchers have explored using flexible organic materials as an alternative. These materials are inherently stable, reducing the risk of combustion or explosion, and they are easier to synthesise and recycle.Their resistance to bending also makes them promising candidates for wearable devices.However, organic materials generally suffer from low electrical conductivity, often requiring large amounts of conductive additives. Small organic molecules also tend to dissolve in the electrolyte, leading to shorter battery life.According to a report published by the China-science-daily" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="17557" data-entity-type="organization">China Science Daily last week, Chinese researchers have taken a crucial step towards bringing organic batteries from the laboratory into practical use.The research was led by Xu Yunhua from Tianjin University and Huang Fei from China-university-of-technology" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="37969" data-entity-type="organization">South China University of Technology. Their findings were published in Nature on February 18.