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20% more battery power can be squeezed out like toothpaste
In the 1970s, researchers at Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) were lounging on beanbag chairs, brainstorming ideas that would eventually spark the information technology revolution. Among their groundbreaking inventions were the computer mouse, graphical user interfaces, Ethernet, laser printing, and the concept of "Windows." Though those beanbags are long gone and PARC was spun off as an independent company a decade ago, its legacy lives on. Today, researchers at PARC are once again pushing the boundaries of innovation—but this time, with a focus on clean energy for the 21st century.
One of the current projects at PARC’s Hardware Systems Laboratory is the development of next-generation lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. These batteries aim to store over 20% more energy than conventional ones. However, increasing battery capacity usually means making the cathode thicker, which can slow down ion movement and reduce performance. This trade-off has been a major challenge in battery design.
To solve this problem, PARC is exploring a novel approach by combining two types of materials in the cathode: one that allows for dense energy storage and another that enables fast charge transfer. By alternating wide storage areas with narrow conductive channels, they hope to build larger, more powerful batteries without sacrificing speed or efficiency.
While the concept isn’t new, scaling it up has proven difficult. The structures needed are extremely small—about 100 microns for storage and 10 microns for conductivity. Creating such precise patterns across hundreds of thousands of units requires advanced lithography, which is expensive and not ideal for mass production.
Inspired by something as simple as a color bar toothpaste, PARC’s team developed a new method. They mix the two materials with an organic binder, creating a printable paste. This paste is then fed through a specialized printhead with tiny channels and nozzles. As the printhead moves over a metal foil, the paste is extruded in fine, parallel stripes. After drying, the organic material is removed, leaving behind a solid, high-performance cathode.
In early tests, this new design showed a 20% improvement in energy storage compared to traditional cathodes. Scott Elrod, the lab’s head, says they’re now in talks with potential partners to bring the technology to market.
But this is just the beginning. PARC is also working with the U.S. Department of Energy’s ARPA-E program to develop a fully printed battery. This would involve five different pastes—two for each electrode, one for the separator, and one for a silver wire that helps draw current from the battery. Additionally, a heat-sensitive material is being tested to improve solar cell efficiency by reducing the shadow cast by the wiring.
With solar panels already in production using this method, the team is now looking into other applications, like fuel cells, supercapacitors, and even catalytic converters. While the term “squeezable battery†may never become household slang, it’s clear that PARC is still at the forefront of innovation, keeping the spirit of the original research center alive.