What type of battery has the highest energy density?

Lithium-ion batteries have the highest energy density on the market today.

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 energy can now be stored directly from renewable sources (sun and wind) into lithium-ion batteries.

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 number one choice for every manufacturer of cell phones, laptops, and even electric cars.

How powerful are lithium-ion batteries?

Lithium-ion batteries are used in almost all electronic devices and electric vehicles. Although more expensive than traditional alkaline batteries, lithium-ion batteries last longer.

Lithium-ion batteries are made from what are called cells. Each battery consists of three parts; a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a chemical composition between the positive and negative electrodes called the electrolyte.

The positive electrode in the battery is designed from lithium-cobalt oxide. The negative electrode is designed from graphite. The electrolyte is such as oxides and sulfides. The electrolyte must have a long shelf life and provide high mobility for the lithium ions. The electrolyte can be liquid, polymer and solid.

Lithium is a highly reactive element. Large amounts of energy can be stored within its atomic bonds. This translates into the high energy density of any lithium-ion battery. A typical lithium-ion battery can store approximately 150 watt hours of charge per 1 kilogram of battery.

Lithium-ion batteries can hold a charge longer than any other type of battery. Lithium-ion battery packs only lose about 5% of their charge per month, while NiMH battery packs lose 20% per month.

Lithium-ion batteries can handle many charge/discharge cycles before crashing.

In addition, lithium-ion batteries have no memory effect, which means you don't have to completely drain the battery before recharging it again.

How do I check the data of a lithium-ion battery?

Checking lithium-ion battery data is easy. You can read the information provided by the manufacturer printed on the battery itself or in the documentation provided with the battery. Or you can drain the battery and do some simple calculations to get the information you want, "mainly the capacity".

Before you read any information on lithium-based batteries, there are some symbols and definitions you should know.

Discharge rating, represented by a number followed by the letter C.

Capacity, represented by a number followed by the letter "mAh".

Battery quantity, indicated by a number followed by the letter S.

Voltage, expressed as a number followed by the letter V (sometimes called rated voltage)

Discharge rating

The discharge rating indicates the rate at which a lithium battery can be safely discharged without damaging the battery. The discharge rating depends on the capacity of the battery, which is why it is represented by a number and the letter C, which stands for capacity.

For example, let's say you have a lithium battery with a capacity of 5 amps. On the battery, it says that the discharge rate is 50 C. To calculate it, you simply multiply 50 by the capacity, which is 5, and the result is 250 A. Therefore, 250 A is the discharge current rating of this battery.

Capacity

Simply put, the capacity of a given lithium battery is a measure of how much power that battery can hold. The unit of measurement is the milliampere hour (mAh).

Voltage and Number of Cells

Most single cell lithium batteries are rated at 3.7 V. When there is more than one cell inside a given lithium based battery, this means that the voltages are added together. For example, if we have two cells inside a lithium-based battery with a nominal voltage of 3.7, then this means that the voltage of the two-cell pack is 7.4V, if we have three cells, then the voltage of the three-cell pack is 11.1V, and so on.

Understanding these terms will help you determine all the information for any given lithium-based battery.

Another way is to test the battery yourself. Testing lithium-ion batteries is very easy. However, special care must be taken in order to handle the battery safely. To test a battery, simply follow these steps.

Remove the lithium battery from the device it powers.

Turn on your voltmeter (we will use this device to measure the battery).

Make sure the voltmeter is set to measure in volts.

Locate the positive and negative terminals of the lithium battery you have.

Be careful when locating the terminals as they are very fragile.

Place the corresponding lead of the voltmeter on the battery.

The amount of charge in the lithium battery will be displayed in volts on the voltmeter's screen.

Testing a lithium battery will give you answers about the capacity, discharge rate, voltage and weight of the battery. However, there are some things, such as the type of internal material, case, electrodes, DOD, etc., that cannot be obtained from this test, and it is best to go back to the battery documentation to find out about them. If this documentation is not available, the best thing to do is to contact the manufacturer and ask for this information.