On-Chip Integration of a Covalent Organic Framework-Based Catalyst into a Miniaturized Zn–Air Battery with High Energy Density

Advances in microelectronics have led to the development of on-chip intelligent microsystems that can digitalize the physical world, offering functions of sensing, data communication, and intelligent response to stimuli. Either mismatched form factors or limited energy density of available batteries compromises their integration. We report a microimprint fabrication for on-chip Zn–air microbatteries, which bypasses the complication of the catalyst incorporation on the chip at a target position. The on-chip integration of a bifunctional catalyst—covalent organic framework with cobalt catalytic units—enables the on-chip Zn–air microbattery to outperform the Zn–air primary cell, showing 3 times more volumetric energy density. It is wirelessly chargeable, and its lifetime capacity is around twice longer than that for commercially available on-chip lithium ion microbatteries. The on-chip Zn–air microbattery can drive various electronic systems. Our approach bridges a long-standing gulf between advanced materials synthesis and their on-chip integration and paves the way toward high-performance on-chip Zn–air batteries.