Flexible graphene-based lithium ion batteries with ultrafast charge and discharge rates

There is growing interest in thin, lightweight, and flexible energy storage devices to meet the special needs for next-generation, high-performance, flexible electronics. Here we report a thin, lightweight, and flexible lithium ion battery made from graphene foam, a three-dimensional, flexible, and conductive interconnected network, as a current collector, loaded with Li4Ti5O12 and LiFePO4, for use as anode and cathode, respectively. No metal current collectors, conducting additives, or binders are used. The excellent electrical conductivity and pore structure of the hybrid electrodes enable rapid electron and ion transport. For example, the Li4Ti5O12/graphene foam electrode shows a high rate up to 200 C, equivalent to a full discharge in 18 s. Using them, we demonstrate a thin, lightweight, and flexible full lithium ion battery with a high-rate performance and energy density that can be repeatedly bent to a radius of 5 mm without structural failure and performance loss.