What is a lithium ion battery made out of?

Today, lithium-ion batteries come in all shapes and sizes. However, regardless of the size or shape of the battery, they all look the same on the inside. In any given lithium-ion battery pack, there is something.

Lithium-ion batteries. They can be cylindrical like traditional AA batteries, or prismatic.

A temperature sensor to monitor the temperature of the battery. Overheating can have catastrophic consequences.

Voltage converter and regulator circuit. This is to maintain a safe level of voltage and current inside the battery pack.

Voltage taps, used as a monitor of the energy capacity of each cell within the battery pack.

Battery charge status monitor. This is a small computer that handles all charging processes. It ensures that the battery is charged as quickly and safely as possible.

There is sometimes an additional optional shielded connector inside the battery pack that allows power and information to flow in and out of the pack.

While charging or even during use of the battery, if it gets too hot, the computer (Battery Charge Status Monitor) will shut off the power flow in an attempt to cool things down. If you try to use the device in this hot state, this computer will prevent you from using it and will even prevent you from powering on the device itself.

Lithium-ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries have a case made of metal. It is very important to use metal in lithium ion batteries when they are pressurized. The metal case has a so-called vent hole. This is basically a pressure sensitive hole. If the battery gets too hot and there is a risk of explosion, this vent will release additional pressure to help save the situation.

Inside the metal case, there are three thin, sheet layers.

The positive pole.

The negative pole.

A separator between them.

These three thin layers are submerged in an organic solvent, mainly made of ether. This solvent acts as the electrolyte of the battery.

Who invented the lithium-ion battery?

British chemist M. Stanley Whittingham first proposed the use of lithium to make batteries in 1970. Whittingham used electrodes made of titanium sulfide and lithium. The Whitingham rechargeable lithium battery could never be practical because it was very expensive to manufacture in the first place in the 1970s. Not only that, but when the electrodes are exposed to air that is toxic to animals and humans, chemical reactions can occur. For these reasons, ExxonMobil, "the agency that funded the Whittingham effort," shut down the project. At the time, lithium batteries were dangerous because the lithium metal reacted with water, releasing flammable hydrogen gas in the process. That's why the requirement needed an alternative. This is why research in the early 1970s was focused on finding this alternative until 1974 when J.O. Besenhard proposed using lithium compounds in batteries instead of lithium metal. Since then, the development of lithium-ion batteries has soared every year.

In 1991, Sony announced the launch of a new product, lithium batteries. Since then, commercial production of lithium batteries has been ongoing. This invention has enabled manufacturers to produce cell phones on a much smaller scale.

What is the evolution and future of lithium-ion batteries?

Lithium-ion batteries have built a reputation for themselves that no product can overcome, at least for now. Lithium-ion batteries have proven to be the best solution for rechargeable energy. Not only that, but today energy can be stored directly from renewable sources (solar and wind) into lithium-ion batteries.

Scientists believe that there is no need to look for alternatives to lithium-ion batteries. Instead, all current research efforts are upgrading these batteries. From the design of the first lithium battery in 1970 to the present, the field has done everything to upgrade and enhance the same battery "lithium-ion battery".

Current research is focused on removing flammable liquids from the inside of lithium-ion batteries. The liquid that can cause these batteries to catch fire. The new upgrade is called a solid-state battery.

It is also worth noting that lithium-ion batteries are now the most economical solution for portable energy. They have become so affordable to manufacture that they are the first choice of every manufacturer of cell phones, laptops and even electric cars.

Another thing that makes lithium-ion batteries irreplaceable - at least for now - is their size. Storing lithium-ion batteries in bulk is a simple task. They are compact, small, flexible and versatile. They can be stored easily and hassle-free. Not only that, but their shelf life is amazing. A single battery can be stored for up to ten years.

Research is now also focused on how to integrate lithium ions into all energy storage. However, the problem they face is the discharge rate, which is relatively small. The challenge now is to produce a lithium-ion battery with a very slow discharge system that can last more than a day. In addition, the research is concerned with the size of these batteries. They want to make a small battery with a large capacity. As mentioned earlier, batteries for electric cars used to be about two tones, and now they are only 300 kg. If they can do less, that would be a big step in the right direction.

In addition, integrating lithium-ion batteries into more applications will ultimately save the planet. This is because - as mentioned before - you can now store energy from renewable sources in the battery. Thus, reducing the need for fossil fuels. If we succeed in reducing the demand for fossil fuels by 5% per year. Then in less than a century our planet will be free from harmful emissions from the use of fossil fuels.

Research in the field of lithium batteries has never been more advanced.In 2019, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to three scientists for their outstanding work in the development of lithium-ion batteries.

The prize was awarded to John Goodenough, Stanley Whittingham and Aki Yoshino. They will receive an equal share of the prize. Their work on lithium-ion batteries has laid the foundation for a fossil fuel-free world. This is truly a giant step in the right direction for all of humanity. The new lithium-ion batteries are now much lighter and more compact than their predecessors and can hold a charge for much longer. In addition, their compact and flexible size allows them to be used in everything from cell phones to laptops and even electric cars.

Thanks to modern technology and research, the battery in an electric car no longer weighs two tones, but just 300 kg. The Nobel laureate's work allows us to store energy from renewable sources such as solar and wind power in these lithium-ion batteries.