Everything is 3D printable these days. From guns to engines to organs, so why not batteries this time? New inks and tools are making 3D-printed lithium-ion cells a very real possibility.

Technology Review has taken a look at the work of Harvard materials scientist Jennifer Lewis and reports that 3D printed batteries will be heading our way soon enough. Her technique uses a series of "functional inks that can solidify into batteries and simple components, including electrodes, wires, and antennas."



At time of printing, the material dries quickly to form components, and creates a simple battery from scratch which can take just minutes. According to Technology Review:
Her printed lithium-ion batteries are as tiny as one millimeter square but perform as well as commercial batteries, because Lewis can render microscale architectures, and position structures with 100-nanometer accuracy, to mirror the structures of much bigger batteries.
[Technology Review Images by Technology Review]