The Usage Of Lithium-Ion Batteries Today

Due to rapidly depleting fossil fuels and climate change, lithium battery technology is also used in electric vehicles (EVs) in order to reach the desired vehicle speeds and fuel mileage ranges. Li-ion batteries also offer the desired features to be used in communications devices as well as sonar and radar measuring devices for defense and military applications; since they require a high degree of precision and accuracy. Commercialized transportation such as railway transportation often relies on a vast network of operations and thus needs an adequate source of energy and backup storage in the case of a breakdown. In solar and wind power applications, lithium-ion batteries can be utilized in attempt to stray away from the usage of non-renewable resources such as oil and coal. Wind and solar power are only available for a few hours during the day so it is important to have an efficient energy storage option to reduce any wasteful energy.

Due to the increased usage of cellular devices, telecommunications companies need to ensure that a 24/7 backup supply is available to power their equipment and systems sufficiently. Large-scale applications of lithium-ion batteries include power reserve systems which would be utilized in case of an emergency or disaster such as a hurricane. These power-grid systems would be able to supply enough energy and power to accommodate a large population for some limited amount of time.

The lithium-ion battery is composed of three parts – the anode, cathode and electrolyte. The anode is typically carbon in the form of graphite layers. Lithium metal is sometimes used as anode material but is known to cause surface dendrite formation. A solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer can be formed between the electrolyte and electrode in attempts to inhibit dendritic growth at the anode site (more on this later). The cathode material is typically a lithium salt solution in the presence of a liquid electrolyte or a lithium metal oxide in the presence of a solid electrolyte. The electrolyte is the ion conduction material. Most common liquid electrolyte is lithium hexafluorophosphate or LiPF. The solid-state electrolyte is typically composed of either an inorganic lithium metal/nonmetal oxide (ceramics), polyethylene oxide (PEO) or a composite of polymer and ceramic material. During the charging process, lithium ions and electrons move in unison from cathode to anode. The lithium atoms de-intercalate from the cathode structure and bond with the graphite in the anode. During the discharging process, the reverse process occurs. Lithium ions and electrons move in unison from anode to cathode. The lithium atoms de-intercalate from the graphitic anode and rebind with the cathode material.