Lithium Ion Battery

Lithium Ion (Li-ion) batteries are common in consumer electronics. It belongs to a family of rechargeable battery and uses lithium as the active material. During discharge, the lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode. The flow of lithium ions reverse during charging. Lithium ion batteries are extensively used in portable devices due its features like best energy to weight ratio, absence of memory effect, high efficiency, slow self discharge etc.

The Li-ion battery has three components inside. These are Anode, Cathode and Electrolyte. The anode is made up of carbon and cathode is a metal oxide. The Anode is commonly made of Graphite. The metal oxide in the cathode may be Lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate or lithium manganese oxide. The electrolyte is lithium salt dissolved in an organic solvent. It is a mixture of organic carbonates like ethylene carbonate or diethyl carbonate containing lithium ions. The sources of lithium ions are Anion salts like Lithium hexa fluorophosphates( LiPF6), Lithium hexa fluoro arsenate monohydrate(LiAsF6), Lithium perchlorate(LiClO4), Lithium tetrafluoro borate(LiBF4), Lithium triflate(LiCF3SO3) etc. Based on the anion salts used, the voltage, efficiency, life etc of lithium battery varies.

Lithium Ion Battery

[header = Electrochemistry of Li-ion battery]

Electrochemistry of Li-ion battery

Anode, Cathode and the Electrolyte in the Li-ion battery take part in the electrochemical reaction. During the intercalation process, lithium ions move from the electrolyte into the electrodes and during the de intercalation process, these ions move back into the electyrolyte.During the dis charging process, lithium ions from the anode move into the cathode and during charging reverse movement occurs. The electrolyte containing lithium ions act as the carrier between the anode and cathode when the battery discharges. The conductivity of the electrolyte varies depending on the temperature. Typically at 20-25 degree, it is around 10mS/cm.

Features of Li-ion cells

Light weight and portable

High open circuit voltage that deliver high power at low current rate

Absence of Memory effect

Low self discharge rate of 5-10% per month

Drawbacks of Li-ion cells

Formation of an insulating deposit in the electrolyte that reduces ion transport. This reduces capacity overtime. Older batteries do not accept much charge.

High charge level and charging heat reduces capacity

Poor ventilation and heat reduces its efficiency. For example a Li-Ion Laptop battery losses 20% capacity in one year, if it is not properly charged.

High internal resistance. This drops terminal voltage when connected to load.

Li-ion batteries are not durable as other rechargeable batteries. These become dangerous if mistreated. High temperature and cell rupture may cause explosions.

Charging Hints

Charge the battery until the voltage limit per cell is reached

Give maximum voltage per cell until the current drops below 3% of the rated charge current.

Charge time is 3-5 hours.

Lithium Ion cells are charged with 4.2 Volt per cell.

Mobile phone battery can be charged at 1C current and Laptop battery at 0.8C current.

[header = Mobile Phone Battery]

Mobile Phone Battery

Mobile phone battery requires only two pins for charging, then why there is a third pin? The question is definitely a curiosity generating one. The third pin called BSI pin performs very important functions and act as an interface between the Mobile phone and the Battery. When the battery is removed, without switching off the Mobile phone, The BSI circuit is first interrupted which convey the information to the processor to shut down all communications to prevent damage. To communicate with the BSI, the battery pack also has a BSI pin. BSI stands for Battery Status Indicator or Battery System Indicator.

In some Mobile Phone, the battery power connector has three pins and the battery also has three pins. These pins are Positive, Negative and BSI. The BSI pin in the Mobile phone performs important functions. The battery pack has three pin outs. The pins located at the ends are + Bat and – Bat pins to charge the battery from the adapter. The third pin is the shorter BSI pin usually present in the middle position. The battery block of the Mobile phone has a BSI resistor for identifying the battery pack placed in the phone.

BSI fixed resistor value indicates the capacity and chemistry of battery. It also tells the phone processor about the temperature and charging voltage and current passing to the mobile phone. The BSI resistor is connected to ground and the phone measures the resistance between the BSI and Ground and tells the processor about the type of battery inserted into the phone.

[header = Various Lithium Ion Batteries]

Lithium Air battery

This type of Lithium battery has the Lithium Anode electrochemically coupled to atmospheric oxygen through an Air Cathode. During discharge, lithium cat ions move from anode into the electrolyte and then into the cathode where it combines with oxygen. The cathode is made up of porous carbon. When the lithium ion combines with the oxygen in the cathode, Lithium oxide (Li2O) or Lithium peroxide ( Li2O2). The Lithium oxide is then coupled to the electrons from the battery and flow from Anode to Cathode through the load.

Lithium Air Battery

Lithium air battery has high energy density because the cathode is lighter and oxygen is freely available in the air and no storage is required. Therefore the cathode reactant is unlimited and the battery capacity is limited by the lithium anode only.

Lithium battery

These are disposable type primary batteries using lithium metal as anode. They produce a wide range of voltage from 5.5 volts to 9.7 volts. These are widely used in portable devices. The 3 volt Lithium battery (CR Lithium / Manganese dioxide No. CR 2032) is used in computer mother board to keep the memory.

Lithium- ion Polymer battery

These are usually abbreviated as Li-poly, Li-pol etc. These are rechargeable batteries having several identical secondary cells in parallel to increase the discharge capacity.

Button cells

These are the common watch battery, or coin cell design to use in watches calculators etc. These are primary cells with voltage between 1.5 to 3 volts. Anode in the button cell is Zinc or Lithium. Cathode includes Manganese dioxide, Silver oxide, Carbon monofluoride, cupric oxide etc. The metal can of the battery is positive and the cap forms the negative. The watch batteries are usually numbered as L,S and C types.