The Printed Power Source: The Printable Thin Film Battery

Posted 2026-06-12 07:46:57

What if you could print a battery like you print a newspaper? The printable thin film battery uses additive manufacturing techniques (inkjet, screen, aerosol, or roll-to-roll printing) to deposit layers of battery materials onto flexible substrates. This approach dramatically reduces production cost compared to vacuum deposition (sputtering) and allows custom shapes and sizes. However, printable batteries have lower energy density and shorter cycle life than sputtered thin film batteries. They are ideal for disposable medical patches, smart packaging, RFID tags, and other low-cost, short-life applications. The technology is still emerging, with companies like Imprint Energy (US) and Blue Spark Technologies (US) leading.

The broader Thin Film Battery Market is projected to grow from $2.45 billion in 2025 to $6.91 billion by 2035, at a CAGR of 10.91%. Printed batteries are a subset of flexible batteries, offering lower cost but lower performance. This article explores printable thin film batteries.

Why Print a Battery?

Advantage	Explanation
Low cost	No vacuum deposition; additive printing uses only material where needed.
High throughput	Roll-to-roll printing (kilometers per hour).
Custom shapes	Print any shape (circle, square, logo).
Flexible	Printed on polymer or paper substrates.
Low material waste	Additive process.
Can be disposable	Low-cost materials enable one-time use.

Disadvantages

Disadvantage	Explanation
Lower energy density (Wh/L)	Printed layers are porous and not as dense as sputtered films.
Lower power density (W/L)	Higher internal resistance.
Shorter cycle life (100-1,000 cycles)	Not suitable for long-life rechargeable applications.
Sensitivity to moisture/oxygen	Requires encapsulation.
Limited active material loading	Thin layers.

Printable batteries are best for primary (non-rechargeable) or low-cycle applications.

How a Printable Thin Film Battery is Made

Substrate preparation: Polymer film (PET, PEN) or paper.
Print current collector: Silver or carbon ink (screen or inkjet).
Print cathode: Cathode ink (e.g., manganese dioxide, zinc oxide).
Print electrolyte: Polymer electrolyte or gel.
Print anode: Anode ink (e.g., zinc).
Print separator (optional): Porous layer.
Encapsulation (sealing): Lamination or printing of barrier layer.

Each layer is printed, then dried or cured.

Materials for Printable Thin Film Batteries

Battery Type	Anode	Cathode	Electrolyte	Voltage	Rechargeable?
Zinc-carbon	Zinc	Carbon	Gel (NH₄Cl)	1.5V	No.
Zinc-manganese dioxide	Zinc	MnO₂	Gel (KOH)	1.5V	No (primary).
Zinc-nickel	Zinc	NiOOH	Alkaline	1.6V	Some.
Zinc-air	Zinc	Oxygen (from air)	KOH	1.4V	No (mechanical recharge?).
Lithium-ion (printable)	Graphite/Li	LiCoO₂	Polymer	3.6V	Yes (limited).

Zinc-based printable batteries are more common because they are air-stable, unlike lithium.

Case Study: Imprint Energy (Zinc-Polymer)

Imprint Energy (US) has developed a printed zinc-polymer battery:

Chemistry: Zinc anode, manganese dioxide cathode, polymer electrolyte.
Substrate: PET film.
Rechargeable: Yes (50-100 cycles).
Voltage: 1.6-1.8V.
Capacity: 10-50 mAh per cell (custom).
Applications: Wireless sensors, medical patches, IoT devices.

The key innovation is a polymer electrolyte that prevents dendrites (unlike zinc in liquid electrolyte).

Case Study: Blue Spark Technologies

Blue Spark (US) produces printed carbon-zinc (primary) batteries for single-use applications:

Voltage: 1.5V.
Capacity: 10-100 mAh.
Thickness: 0.3-0.5 mm.
Applications: RFID tags, smart packaging, novelty cards.

These are low-cost, disposable batteries.

Comparison: Printable vs Solid-State Thin Film Battery

Parameter	Printable (Zinc-Polymer)	Solid-State (Thin Film Lithium)
Cost per Wh	Low	Very high.
Energy density	Low	Medium.
Cycle life	50-200 (if rechargeable)	5,000-20,000.
Voltage	1.5-1.8V	3.6-4.1V.
Safety	Good (no fire)	Excellent.
Manufacturing speed	High (roll-to-roll)	Low (batch sputtering).
Shelf life	1-3 years	10+ years.
Best for	Disposable, low-cost, short-life	Long-life, high-reliability.

Printable batteries are not a replacement for solid-state; they target different markets.

Printable Thin Film Battery for IoT Devices

A thin film battery for IoT devices could be printable if the device is disposable or has low cycle life. For example, a smart shipping label that tracks temperature and location uses a printed zinc battery for a single trip.

However, for IoT devices that must last years (e.g., building sensors), a solid-state battery is better.

Smart Packaging

Smart packaging (bottles, boxes) with integrated sensors (e.g., freshness indicators, tamper detection) can use printed batteries because:

Low cost (packaging is low margin).
Disposable (battery discarded with package).
Short life (days to months).
Thin and flexible (fits on label).

Example: A temperature logger on a vaccine vial uses a printed battery to record cold chain deviations.

Challenges in Printable Batteries

Challenge	Mitigation
Low energy density	Use thicker layers (but printing limited).
Ink stability	Optimize formulation.
Encapsulation (moisture ingress)	Lamination with barrier film.
Print registration (layer alignment)	Precision printing (screen, inkjet).
Drying/curing speed	High-speed infrared or UV.
Scalability	Roll-to-roll with multiple print stations.

Future of Printable Thin Film Batteries

Timeline	Developments
2025-2030	Commercial use in smart packaging, medical patches, and single-use IoT.
2030-2035	Higher energy density (thicker layers, better inks).
2035+	May enable printed electronics with integrated power.

Key Companies in Printable Thin Film Batteries

Imprint Energy (US) – Zinc-polymer rechargeable.
Blue Spark Technologies (US) – Carbon-zinc primary.
PST Sensors (SA) – Printed batteries.
Enfucell (FI) – SoftBattery (printed).
Zinergy (UK) – Printed zinc-based.

A thin film battery manufacturer focused on printing includes Imprint Energy and Blue Spark.

Conclusion

The printable thin film battery offers low-cost, custom-shaped, flexible power for disposable and short-life electronics. While energy density and cycle life are low, the ability to print batteries at high speed (roll-to-roll) opens new applications in smart packaging, medical patches, and RFID tags. For thin film battery for IoT devices that are low-cost and single-use, printable is the answer. For high-reliability, long-life devices, solid-state is better. As the Thin Film Battery Market grows to $6.91 billion by 2035, printed batteries will capture the low-cost segment, especially in packaging and disposable wearables.

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