Electronic circuits with directly integrated electrochemical cells
Provided are electronic circuits, comprising electrochemical cells directly integrated with other devices of the circuits, and methods of manufacturing these circuits. The direct integration occurs during cell manufacturing, which allows sharing components, reducing operation steps and failure points, and reducing cost and size of the circuits. For example, a portion of a cell enclosure may be formed by a circuit board, providing direct mechanical integration. More specifically, the cell is fabricated right on the circuit board. In the same or other examples, one or both cell current collectors extend outside of the cell boundary and used by other devices, providing direct electrical integration without a need for intermediate connections and eliminating additional failure points. Furthermore, printing one or more components of electrochemical cells, such as electrolytes and current collectors, allows achieving higher levels of mechanical and electrical integration that are generally not available in conventional cells.
1 . An integrated electronic circuit comprising:
a packaging layer;
a patterned conductive layer, disposed on a packaging layer and comprising a positive current collector, a positive tab, and a connecting tab, wherein:
the positive current collector is monolithic with the positive tab so that the positive current collector and the positive tab are formed in a common spatial plane, and
the connecting tab is isolated from the positive current collector but aligned within the common spatial plane;
an electrochemical cell, disposed on the packaging layer and comprising:
a positive electrode disposed over the positive current collector, and
a negative electrode comprising a negative current collector,
an electrolyte layer interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode so each of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the electrolyte layer are formed as discrete layers parallel with the common spatial plane, and
wherein: i) the positive electrode, the electrolyte layer, and the negative electrode are oriented in a laminar arrangement, each being parallel to the common spatial plane, and ii) the negative current collector at least partially overlaps and forms an electrical connection with the connecting tab of the patterned conductive layer; and
a power-consumption device, disposed on the packaging layer with the connecting tab disposed directly on the power-consumption device so as to establish direct electrical connection therewith and wherein the positive current collector establishes separate electrical contact with the power-consumption device.
2 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the at least one of the positive current collector or the negative current collector is laminated to the packaging layer.
3 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein the power-consumption device is electrically connected to the positive tab using a mechanical crimp.
4 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 3 , wherein the mechanical crimp protrudes through the packaging layer.
5 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 4 , wherein the mechanical crimp is a rivet comprising flanges outside and compressing a stack comprising the positive tab of the positive current collector and the packaging layer.
6 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 3 , wherein the mechanical crimp protrudes through the positive tab of the positive current collector.
7 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the device is stacked with a portion of the at least one of the positive electrode or the negative electrode.
8 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 7 , further comprising a connector seal, positioned over the portion of the device stacked with the portion of the at least one of the positive electrode or the negative electrode.
9 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein the packaging layer comprises an opening at a location where the power-consumption device is electrically connected to the positive tab of the positive current collector.
10 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 9 , wherein the at least one of the connecting tab and to the positive tab of the positive current collector comprises an opening, coinciding with the opening in the packaging layer.
11 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein the packaging layer is a flexible printed circuit board.
12 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte layer is printed.
13 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 12 , wherein the negative electrode comprises zinc.
14 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the positive electrode, the electrolyte layer, or the negative electrode comprises an ionic liquid.
15 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein each of the positive electrode, the electrolyte layer, and the negative electrode comprises an ionic liquid.
16 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell is substantially free from organic solvents.
17 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein the power-consumption device is selected from the group consisting of a sensor, a Bluetooth transmitter, a low power wide area network (LoRa) transmitter, and a narrow-band internet of things (NB-IoT) transmitter.
18 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a second packaging layer sealed over the packaging layer so as to enclose all of the electrochemical cell.
19 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein the negative current collector is printed at least partially over the connecting tab of the patterned conductive layer.
20 . The integrated electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell surrounds the power-consumption device.