What Are the Different Types of Lithium Batteries?

The introduction of lithium batteries has been one of the most critical steps in the evolution of battery technology. Lithium batteries provide the opportunity to replace big, bulky, leaky lead-acid batteries with compact Li-ion battery systems with significantly better capacity.

The lithium-ion battery industry has dominated over traditional options, such as lead-acid batteries. Lithium battery technology is so popular that many different types of lithium batteries are available on the market for all applications and needs.

What is a Lithium Battery?

Lithium batteries are rechargeable batteries that create electric current due to the movement of lithium ions between the cathode material (negative electrode) and the anode material (positive electrode).

The materials used in a lithium-ion battery are typically lithium-based compounds for the anode and a graphite-based carbon cathode. The electrodes are separated by an electrolyte, which varies based on the particular type of lithium battery technology.

During the charging process, lithium ions move from the cathode to the anode. During the discharging of the lithium-ion battery, the lithium ions move from the anode to the cathode.

What Are the Different Types of Lithium Batteries?

#1. Lithium Iron Phosphate

Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries use phosphate as the cathode material and a graphitic carbon electrode as the anode. LFP batteries have a long life cycle with good thermal stability and electrochemical performance.

What Are They Used For:

LFP battery cells have a nominal voltage of 3.2 volts, so connecting four of them in series results in a 12.8-volt battery. This makes LFP batteries the most common type of lithium battery for replacing lead-acid deep-cycle batteries.

Benefits:

There are quite a few benefits to lithium iron phosphate batteries that make them one of the most popular options for applications requiring a large amount of power. The primary benefits, however, are durability, a long life cycle, and safety.

LFP batteries typically have a lifecycle rating of 2,000 cycles or more. Unlike lead-acid batteries, depth of discharge has a minimal impact on the lifespan of LFP batteries. Most LFP manufacturers rate their batteries at 80% depth of discharge, and some even allow 100% discharging without damaging the battery.

The materials used in lithium iron phosphate batteries offer low resistance, making them inherently safe and highly stable. The thermal runaway threshold is about 518 degrees Fahrenheit, making LFP batteries one of the safest lithium battery options, even when fully charged.

Drawbacks:

There are a few drawbacks to LFP batteries. The first is that, compared to other lithium battery types, they have a relatively low specific energy. Their performance can also suffer in low temperatures. Combining the low specific energy and reduced performance in cold temperatures means LFP batteries may not be a great fit in some high cranking applications.

#2. Lithium Cobalt Oxide

Lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) batteries have high specific energy but low specific power. This means that they do not perform well in high-load applications, but they can deliver power over a long period.

What Are They Used For:

LCO batteries were common in small portable electronics such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and cameras. However, they are losing popularity to other types of lithium batteries due to the high cost of cobalt and concerns around safety.

Benefits:

The key benefit of LCO batteries is their high specific energy. This allows them to deliver power over a relatively long period under low-load applications.

Drawbacks:

LCO batteries have some significant drawbacks, resulting in them becoming less popular in recent years. First, LCO batteries suffer from a relatively short lifespan, usually between 500-1,000 cycles. Additionally, cobalt is fairly expensive. Expensive batteries that don’t last a long time are not cost-effective.

LCO batteries also have low thermal stability, which leads to safety concerns. Furthermore, their low specific power limits the ability of LCO batteries to perform in high-load applications.

#3. Lithium Manganese Oxide

Lithium Manganese Oxide (LMO) batteries use lithium manganese oxide as the cathode material. This chemistry creates a three-dimensional structure that improves ion flow, lowers internal resistance, and increases current handling while improving thermal stability and safety.

What Are They Used For:

LMO batteries are commonly found in portable power tools, medical instruments, and some hybrid and electric vehicles.

Benefits:

LMO batteries charge quickly and offer high specific power. This means they can deliver higher current than LCO batteries, for example. They also offer better thermal stability than LCO batteries, meaning they can operate safely at higher temperatures.

One other benefit to LMO batteries is their flexibility. Tuning the internal chemistry allows LMO batteries to be optimized to handle high-load applications or long-life applications.

Drawbacks:

The main downside to LMO batteries is their short lifespan. Typically, LMO batteries will last 300-700 charge cycles, significantly fewer than other lithium battery types.

#4. Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide

Lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) batteries combine the benefits of the three main elements used in the cathode: nickel, manganese, and cobalt. Nickel on its own has high specific energy but is not stable. Manganese is exceptionally stable but has a low specific energy. Combining them yields a stable chemistry with a high specific energy.

What They Are Used For:

Similar to LMO batteries, NMC batteries are popular in power tools as well as electronic powertrains for e-bikes, scooters, and some electric vehicles.

Benefits:

The benefits of NMC batteries include high energy density and a longer lifecycle at a lower cost than cobalt-based batteries. They also have higher thermal stability than LCO batteries, making them safer overall.

Drawbacks:

The major drawback to NMC batteries is that they have a slightly lower voltage than cobalt-based batteries.

#5. Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminium Oxide

Lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA) batteries offer high specific energy with decent specific power and a long lifecycle. This means they can deliver a relatively high amount of current for extended periods.

What They Are Used For:

The ability to perform in high-load applications with a long battery life makes NCA batteries popular in the electric vehicle market. Specifically, NCA is the battery of choice for Tesla.

Benefits:

The biggest benefits of NCA batteries are high energy and a decent lifespan.

Drawbacks:

With NCA technology, the batteries aren’t as safe as most other lithium technologies and are expensive in comparison.

#6. Lithium Titanate

All of the previous lithium battery types we have discussed are unique in the chemical makeup of the cathode material. Lithium titanate (LTO) batteries replace the graphite in the anode with lithium titanate and use LMO or NMC as the cathode chemistry.

The result is an extremely safe battery with a long lifespan that charges faster than any other lithium battery type.

What Are They Used For:

Many applications use LTO batteries. Electric vehicles and charging stations, uninterrupted power supplies, wind and solar energy storage, solar street lights, telecommunications systems, and aerospace and military equipment are just some of the use cases.

Benefits:

LTO batteries offer many benefits, including fast charging, an extremely wide operating temperature, a long lifespan, and superb safety because of their stability.

Drawbacks:

There are a couple of significant hurdles for LTO batteries to overcome. They offer low energy density, which means they store a lower amount of energy relative to their weight when compared to some other lithium technologies. Additionally, they are very expensive.

#7.  Cylindrical Cells VS Pouch Cells VS Prismatic Cells

Cylindrical Cells

These are the most widely used commercial lithium-ion cells. They form the batteries used in toys, medical devices, gadgets, and more. Cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells differ from conventional batteries, as the former are rechargeable lithium batteries with a higher capacity.

This type of cell features sealed electrodes and electrolytes in a protective cylindrical metal can. A cylindrical lithium-ion battery offers excellent safety and the best protection against thermal elements. Cylindrical Li-ion batteries are also the cheapest ones to manufacture.

Pouch Cells

Unlike a cylindrical or prismatic cell, a lithium pouch cell is physically flexible. The battery cell is sealed in flexible foil or plastic film for protection. A lithium pouch cell is very lightweight and can be made into batteries of any shape or size. These batteries are used in drones, RC vehicles, jump starters, etc.

Pouch cells tend to swell when used. Therefore, when integrating these cells into any application, it is important to allocate extra space to account for the swelling of the cell.

Prismatic Cell

Prismatic cells are cubic lithium batteries that contain electrode sheets and separators in a sturdy plastic housing. Prismatic cells are made in a single-row or two-row module of four cells, with arrestors having the same polarity. Prismatic cells are more expensive than cylindrical cells but provide much greater storage.

Lithium batteries in cell phones and laptops are all prismatic energy cell batteries. While lightweight and thin, these batteries are prone to heating due to the metal casing used.

Where can we find the best lithium battery manufacturer?

JOINSUN is a lithium battery manufacturer that specializes in producing all kinds of lithium batteries. Welcome to visit the product center to see if any batteries meet your requirements. Or you can connect with the JOINSUN technical team to ask for an inquiry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to some commonly asked questions regarding lithium batteries:

Are all lithium batteries the same?

No, all lithium batteries are not the same. The difference between two lithium-ion batteries can be that of night and day due to their technological complexity. The characteristics of a lithium-ion battery depend on the particular lithium-based compound used at the electrodes.

Which type of lithium battery is safest?

Lithium iron phosphate batteries (LFP batteries) are the safest among current lithium-ion batteries on the market. LFP batteries do not contain toxic substances like cobalt and have excellent thermal and chemical stability characteristics.

What Are the Different Grades of Lithium-Ion Batteries?

Lithium-ion battery cells are sorted into three categories: A grade, B grade, and used. The grade determines the expected lifespan. A-grade cells usually come with a 5-7 year warranty, while B-grade cells have a 2-3 year warranty. Finally, used batteries typically only have a one-year warranty.

Which lithium-ion battery is best?

Lithium-ion batteries come in a range of types and have a variety of uses. That means some current lithium-ion batteries are better suited to particular applications than others are. The most important thing is to choose the battery best suited to the task at hand.

It’s also worth noting that the lithium-ion battery industry is constantly changing. Companies and scientists around the world are creating new batteries to either work alongside lithium-ion batteries or supplant them. As these new batteries develop, it will be important to watch which ones come to the fore.

As of now, when it comes to electric vehicles, NMC and LFP are the prevailing cathodes, while in consumer electronics such as cell phones and laptops, LCO batteries reign supreme.

Lithium batteries come in several different types and are used in various situations, from common household appliances to powering electric vehicles and even industrial usage. Although usually pricier than batteries with other chemistries, they are worth every penny in terms of the power and reliability they provide. If you’re interested, check out our range of lithium batteries at JOINSUN today!