Solid-state lithium-ion batteries promise to deliver the next generation of energy storage with necessary improvements in safety, energy density, and durability. However, their broad commercial success requires the development of scalable manufacturing processes to address fabrication challenges associated with composite electrodes, electrode/solid electrolyte interfaces, and thin solid electrolyte layers. In parallel with the need for innovation in solid-state battery fabrication, there is a rapid progress in the field of 3D printing of functional materials. Hence, there is now the opportunity to consider how additive manufacturing informs fabrication processes for solid-state lithium-ion batteries. Herein, the fabrication requirements of solid-state lithium-ion batteries are described and recent examples of digitally fabricated solid-state lithium-ion batteries, components, and materials are highlighted. A critical review of initial efforts toward 3D printing of solid-state lithium-ion batteries provides the prospective to identify future challenges and prospects.

The effect of the deposition substrate on the performance of inkjet-printed membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) is investigated. MEAs are fabricated from inkjet-printed catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs), gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs), and a bilateral sandwich of a CCM and a GDE. All MEAs are tested in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). When a hot-pressing step is included in the MEA construction, the power density achieved with the GDE-based MEA is 1.067 W cm À2 , exceeding that achieved with the CCM-based MEA (0.579 W cm À2 ), and the bilateral sandwich MEA (0.792 W cm À2 ). The origin of the superior performance of the inkjet-printed GDE-based MEAs is investigated through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and analysis of the microstructure of the printed membranes and electrodes. Atomic force microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy suggest that the greater surface and interfacial areas of the GDE-printed catalyst layer may drive the unexpectedly high performance of the GDE-based MEA as compared with its CCM and bilateral sandwich counterparts. These results provide new insights into the connections between the substrate, inkjet-printed catalyst layer microstructure, and catalyst utilization.

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