Zn-air battery with a PEDOT: PSS cathode as a viable option for wearable medical devices

For medical sensing devices, such as wound-healing patches, it is necessary to provide wearable and long-term usable power supply. This calls for cost-effective, lightweight batteries. We propose here a metal-air battery composed out of a Zn anode and a poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene): poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS) cathode. A PEDOT: PSS layer was created by film deposition and used as cathode without binders because of its high-adhesion. Two film types of different thicknesses were analysed. The effect of a 1-butyl- 3-methylimidazolium octyl sulfate ionic liquid, also reported to act as a stabilizer, on the electric performance has been assessed. The electrodes presented low-surface resistivity and a considerable discharge capacity. The results showed that PEDOT: PSS acts properly as an O 2 redox reaction matrix and conducting binder in the air electrode, implying that PEDOT: PSS films are suitable for Zn-Air batteries’ cathode. Moreover, we demonstrate a polymer-enabled biocompatible Zn-air battery device with a total thickness of approximately 2 mm, easy to assemble, light-weight and cost-effective. Graphical abstract