ZINC-BASED BATTERIES: STRETCHABLE, FLEXIBLE, ULTRATHIN

Imprint Energy, a small business funded by the National Science Foundation, is pioneering a new way to manufacture ultrathin, flexible, high-density batteries. The zinc-based batteries overcome historical challenges by using new chemistry for the electrolyte solution, according to the company, which makes the material more stable. The battery is then made on screen-printing equipment, the same method used to print t-shirt designs. The innovative process results in rechargeable batteries that are bendable and less expensive, the company says.