Weavable, conformable, wearable and flexible components for advanced battery technology

A flexible battery device, comprising:

• a stacked configuration, comprising:
• a flexible anode fiber mat in the form of a second electrospun sheet having a thickness from about 300 to about 500 microns, comprising:
• a composite of electro-spun fibers, comprising:
• about 45 to about 80% by weight of a silicon component;
• and
• a polymer component;
• a flexible cathode mat in the form of a first electrospun sheet having a thickness from about 1 to about 6 microns, comprising:
• electrospun sulfur wires, each having a diameter from greater than
• about 100 nanometers to about 10 μm and a length from about 12
• inches to about 24 inches;
• and
• a lithium conducting polymer;
• and
• a flexible lithium ion conducting gel-polymer electrolyte separator in the form of a third electrospun sheet, comprising:
• electrolyte fiber mat having a thickness from about 100 to about 500 microns, comprising:
• multiple layers of electro-spun nanofibers, comprising:
• a lithium-containing solid or liquid electrolyte;
• an electrospun PVdF-HFP polymer matrix;
• and
• a filler comprising fumed silica;
• and
• an activation solution comprising lithium sulfur liquid electrolyte effective to activate the electrolyte fiber mat,
• wherein each of the first, second and third electrospun sheets are woven together to form the flexible energy storage system.

A method of preparing a flexible energy storage system, comprising:

• electrospinning about 45 to about 80% by weight of a silicon component and a polymer component to produce composite electrospun silicon fibers in a form of a flexible anode fiber mat in the form of a second electrospun sheet having a thickness from about 300 to about 500 microns;
• electrospinning a sulfur component to produce electrospun sulfur wires and combining with a lithium conducting polymer to form a flexible cathode mat in the form of a first electrospun sheet having a thickness from about 1 to about 6 microns,
• wherein the electrospun sulfur wires, each have a diameter from greater than about 100 nanometers to about 10 μm and a length from about 12 inches to about 24 inches;
• forming a flexible, lithium ion conducting gel-polymer electrolyte separator in the form of a third electrospun sheet, comprising:
• an electrolyte fiber mat having a thickness from about 100 to about 500 microns, comprising:
• multiple layers of electro-spun nanofibers, comprising:
• a lithium-containing solid or liquid electrolyte;
• an electrospun PVdF-HFP polymer matrix;
• and
• a filler comprising fumed silica;
• soaking the electrolyte fiber mat in an activation solution comprising lithium sulfur liquid electrolyte to activate the electrolyte fiber mat;
• and
• assembling the anode, cathode, and electrolyte to form a stacked assembly, wherein each of the first, second and third electrospun sheets are woven together.