Lithium battery technology is making a difference.
Lithium-ion batteries in particular power the lives of millions of people each day. From laptops and cellphones to hybrids and electric cars, this technology is growing in popularity due to its light weight, high energy density, and ability to recharge.
The technology part goes something like this:
A lithium-ion battery uses lithium ions as a key component of its electrochemistry. During a discharge cycle, lithium atoms in the anode are ionized and separated from their electrons.
The lithium ions move from the anode and pass through the electrolyte until they reach the cathode, where they recombine with their electrons and electrically neutralize.
The lithium ions are small enough to be able to move through a micro-permeable separator between the anode and cathode. In part because of lithium’s small size (third only to hydrogen and helium), Li-ion batteries are capable of having a very high voltage and charge storage per unit mass and unit volume.
Li-ion batteries can use a number of different materials as electrodes. The most common combination is that of lithium cobalt oxide (cathode) and graphite (anode), which is most commonly found in portable electronic devices such as cellphones and laptops.
Other cathode materials include lithium manganese oxide (used in hybrid electric and electric automobiles) and lithium iron phosphate. Li-ion batteries typically use ether (a class of organic compounds) as an electrolyte.
Advantages of lithium-ion batteries are substantial for organizations. For example, lithium-ion battery cells can deliver up to 3.6 Volts, 3 times higher than technologies such as Ni-Cd or Ni-MH. This means that they can deliver large amounts of current for high-power applications, which has Li-ion batteries are also comparatively low maintenance, and do not require scheduled cycling to maintain their battery life.
Additionally, Li-ion batteries have no memory effect, a detrimental process where repeated partial discharge/charge cycles can cause a battery to remember a lower capacity. This is an advantage over both Ni-Cd and Ni-MH, which display this effect.
Lithium-ion batteries also have low self-discharge rate of around 1.5-2% per month. They do not contain toxic cadmium, which makes them easier to dispose of than Ni-Cd batteries.
Want to learn more? Tonex offers Overview of Lithium Battery Technology, a 1-day course that provides participants with a comprehensive understanding of lithium battery technology, including its principles, applications, advantages, challenges, and future developments.
Participants will gain the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions regarding the use and management of lithium batteries in various industries.
For more information, questions, comments, contact us.