What are Lithium Ion Battery Chemicals?
A lithium-ion battery, also referred to as Li-ion battery, is a type of rechargeable battery which uses the reversible reduction of lithium ions to store energy. It is the predominant battery type used in portable consumer electronics and electric vehicles. It also sees significant use for grid-scale energy storage and military and aerospace applications.
Lithium-ion batteries powers the devices we use today because they are suitable for storing high-capacity power. Lithium-ion batteries come in various different sizes, forms, and can vary in materials used in its components such as the electrodes. Generally they are lighter and can be charged more rapidly than a lead-acid battery, making them much more environmentally friendly since they do not contain high concentration of environmentally damaging substances.
Yuji provides electrolyte additives for lithium-ion batteries, which aid in the movement of lithium ions during the charging or discharging process. The most common electrolyte in lithium batteries is a lithium salt solution known as lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6).
How Lithium Ion Batteries Work?
Lithium-ion batteries consist of single or multiple lithium-ion cells, along with a protective circuit board. Inside of the battery you can observe:
- Cathode: the electrode located at the positive terminal in a battery
- Anode: the electrode located at the negative terminal in a battery
- Electrolyte: to serve as a medium to help transport the electric current between the anode and cathode
- Separator: a permeable cover that conducts ionic flow but prevents electric contact between the electrodes
As lithium ions move through the electrolyte between the electrodes, energy is both stored and released. Inside the battery, positive lithium ions travel from the cathode to the anode. In the external circuit, electrons go in the opposite way. The battery fuels the device because of this movement, also known as voltage, which generates an electric current that powers the machine or device. The anode releases lithium ions to the cathode as the battery discharges the electric current, creating a flow of electrons that powers the relevant device or equipment. The lithium ions are liberated by the cathode and received by the anode during the battery’s discharging process.
Lithium Ion Battery Applications
- Portable consumer electronics, such as cellphones, tablets, and laptop
- Electric vehicles, include electric bikes and scooters
- Electric smoking devices, such as vapes and e-cigarettes
- Solar power backup storage
- Smart home devices
- Home security systems
- Electronic equipment and tools
- Many more!
