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12th Flying Training Wing

The 12th Flying Training Wing, headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, develops the next generation of Air Force aviators and enlisted aircrew by providing world-class flying training and education. The wing trains Airmen in the fundamentals of airmanship, instruction and leadership, preparing them for success in operational units across the Air Force. Through undergraduate Combat Systems Officer training, Pilot Instructor Training, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Remotely Piloted Aircraft pilot indoctrination, enlisted aviator training, and other specialized programs, the 12th FTW produces skilled, adaptable, and combat-ready professionals capable of meeting the demands of today's complex operating environment while strengthening the future of American airpower.

 

 

12FTW Units

aircraft mechanic, performs maintenance 12th Maintenance Group
12th Maintenance Group
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Photo of an undergaraduate combat systems officer graduation 479th Flying Training Group
479th Flying Training Group
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An Airman inspects an aircraft 12th Operations Group
12th Operations Group
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Articles

Flexible batteries: Evolving energy for the ‘new’ reality

  • Published
  • By Marisa Novobilski
  • Air Force Research Laboratory
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) --  It’s a $7 million research industry today, expected to be worth $400 million by 2025. For researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, the “energy” spent in this research area is worth much more.

By using highly conductive, flexible carbon nanotube mats, scientists here have developed a new type of flexible lithium-ion battery that not only stores energy, but can be folded, bent and manipulated hundreds of times without voltage fluctuations, revolutionizing power sources for the warfighter technology of today.

“It’s time to ‘rethink’ energy,” said Ryan Kohlmeyer, a materials research scientist with UES, Inc. and contractor at AFRL. “There is great interest in flexible electronics. People want to have things like wearable sensors and flexible displays that need power. Traditional lithium-ion batteries, which are hard and rigid, need to evolve to meet the new reality.”

Lithium-ion batteries are common in many home and portable electronics, including computers, mobile phones and wearable fitness trackers. Compared to traditional batteries, lithium-ion batteries charge faster, last longer and have a high-energy capacity, enabling them to deliver a large amount of power in a small package.

Given these benefits, lithium-ion batteries provide a platform for powering small sensors and battlefield devices -- if the form factor can be changed to meet the application needs.

“If you’re moving around in the field, you don’t want to wear something that is bulky and rigid,” Kohlmeyer said. “Flexible batteries are conformal, meaning that they can move with the person and the device they power. The applications for this type of technology are limitless.”

Traditional lithium-ion batteries consist of a negative electrode, or anode, and a positive electrode, or cathode, coated on a metal foil current collector. Between these electrodes is a thin polymer separator, which keeps the electrodes from touching and allows lithium ions to pass though during charging or discharging.

To fabricate their flexible power source, Kohlmeyer and fellow researcher Aaron Blake, a graduate student at Wright State University, exchanged the commonly used metal foil current collectors for chemical vapor deposition-grown carbon nanotube mats. Carbon nanotubes are known to be highly conductive and extremely strong -- two features a flexible battery would need in order to generate power in diverse forms.

The researchers prepared the batteries by placing a separator between a carbon nanotube-based anode and cathode that they then encapsulated in a thin, flexible plastic film. The battery was then charged and placed under mechanical testing where it was bent and creased to see if it could perform consistently under extreme mechanical abuse.

The battery’s performance exceeded expectations, maintaining a steady voltage even after more than 288 folds and manipulations. In contrast, a similar device made with traditional metal foil current collectors showed a performance loss with each crease and catastrophic fracture after only 94 folds.

“The voltage of the flexible battery remained steady even when it was flexed or creased hundreds of times. We only started to lose power when the material encapsulating our battery began to allow moisture to get inside the system and degrade the electrolyte and active materials,” Kohlmehyer said. “We believe that our system is way ahead of anything else in this area.”

The research team, led by Dr. Michael F. Durstock and supported by Dr. Les Lee, with funding from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, has filed a provisional patent related to this system and is excited at the potential to see the technology get into the field.

“Flexible batteries are a natural extension of AFRL’s research in flexible electronics. Our battery can help meet the new power needs for flexible devices. We now know that we can completely deform batteries and still get excellent performance. The implications are enormous,” Kohlmeyer said.

As human performance sensors and flexible device development continues, the flexible battery will be there to meet the power needs of the future.

Public Affairs Information

Tours of the 12th Flying Training Wing are provided to various community organizations, high schools, businesses, and academic military recruitment programs to educate their members about the 12th FTW mission.

Due to the high volume of requests and limited public affairs resources, tours and static displays are limited.

Please submit all requests in writing to the 12th FTW Public Affairs by email to 12ftw.pa.1@us.af.mil at least three weeks but no more than six weeks in advance. You may also call 210-652-1272.

Tours are not available on weekends and may be cancelled at any time because of increased security measures or mission requirements. The 12th FTW does not host tours of Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph at-large. To schedule a tour of JBSA-Randolph, please contact JBSA-Randolph Public Affairs at 502abw.pa.official@us.af.mil or dial 210-652-4410.

If desired, requestors must arrange all meals. PA will provide contact information to base eateries. Modified tours will be granted for those with limited mobility - this must be stated on the tour request. If not stated, it is assumed that mobility is not an issue.