The Background of Lithium Batteries

 Initial attempts to manufacture re-chargeable lithium-ion batteries followed in the 1980s, but these failed because of the inherent volatility of the packs and the ensuing safety concerns.

Lithium has a variety of appealing attributes for use within a battery power supply. It's the lightest of all metals and has the biggest electrochemical potential and offers the most significant energy density per kg. As a result, re-chargeable batteries using lithium metal anodes (negative electrodes) are capable of delivering large voltage and high capacity, therefore generating significant high energy density.

After significant scientific studies on re-chargeable lithium ion b atteries throughout the 1980s, it was observed that alterations brought about by cycling on the lithium electrode resulted in a potential fire danger. These alterations, that are a usual part of wear and tear, reduce the thermal stability of the cells, producing potential runaway heat conditions. When these situations happen, the cell temperature quickly nears the melting point of lithium, leading to a violent response often known as "venting with flame". To demonstrate this issue a substantial amount of rechargeable lithium battery packs sent to Japan had to be recalled in 1991 when a battery in a mobile phone generated flaming gases and inflicted burns to the owners person.

This overheating and fire risk because of the inherent volatility of lithium metal, especially throughout the re-charging process result in a move in scientific studies to a non-metallic lithium battery utilizing lithium ions. Despite the fact that Li-Ions are slightly lower in energy density than lithium metal, the Lithium ion is intrinsically safe, so long as sure precautions are in place when re-charging and discharging. As a result of these developments Sony developed and sold the first Li-ion battery for commercial use in 1991. Soon after other Battery Suppliers produced and sold their own variations of the re-chargeable Lithium ion Battery Pack. These days, the Li ion Battery pack is the quickest expanding and most exciting battery chemistry on the market across a broad base of electronic equipment requirements.

The Li ion Battery Pack typically releases twice the energy density of that of the common Nickel Cadmium Battery. Further developments and improvements in electrode active materials have increased the energy density to almost 3 times that of the Ni-Cd Battery. In addition to high capacity, the load capabilities are good and the electrical power discharge behaves similarly to the Ni-Cd with regards to discharge attributes.