The Laptop Battery – The Lithium Ion Battery System

Applications: Laptop computers, advanced cellular phones, personal data assistants, and military electronics, such as mine detectors, satellites, military radios, and thermal weapon sights.

 Cathode/Anode/Electrolysis: Lithium Cobalt Oxide/Graphite/Lithium hexaflourophosphate. It should be noted that noted four types of electrolytes are used in Lithium-ion batteries: liquid electrolytes, gel electrolytes, polymer electrolytes and ceramic electrolytes. Lithium hexaflourophosphate, a liquid electrolyte is the most commonly used electrolyte in Lithium-ion battery systems.

 Chemistry:   LiCoO₂ ßà Li_1-xCoO₂ + xLi⁺ + xe^-         cathode
                        C + xLi⁺ + xe^- ßà Li_xC                              anode
                                                                                     

                        LiCoO₂ + C ßà Li_xC + Li_1-xCoO₂           (charge reaction)

 Distinguishing Characteristics: 

• Sealed batteries with no maintenance required.

• Long cycle life.

• Long shelf-life.

• Operative within a broad range of temperatures.

• Low self-discharge rate.

• Rapid re-charge capability.

• High rate and power discharge capability.

• High Coloumbic and energy efficiency.

• High specific energy and energy density.

• No memory effect.

 Fun Fact: Lithium has the lightest weight, highest voltage, and greatest energy density of all metals.

 Note: The active materials contained within the Lithium-ion battery, operate by reversibly incorporating lithium into the interstitial space with the host material electrodes. Hence, host materials for the electrodes considered most suitable for the Lithium-ion cell battery system are metal oxide (tunneled structure) cathodes and graphitic (layered structure) anodes.

Home  |  Previous  | Next