Lithium Ion Car Battery Dangers
Lithium ion batteries power many electronic devices and electric vehicles. However, they can burst into flames or explode if overcharged or exposed to extreme heat.
To make them work, lithium ions move from the anode to the cathode electrodes through the electrolyte medium. These movements and reactions are essential for storing energy.
1. Energy density
Lithium-ion batteries power a wide range of electronics, including phones and laptops, as well as electric cars. Their popularity stems from the incredible energy density they offer. Energy density is a measure of the amount of power a battery can hold in relation to its size and weight.
A battery cell’s energy density is determined by its cathode, anode and electrolyte. In a lithium-ion battery, the cathode is typically a lithium cobalt oxide or lithium carbonate. The anode is a graphite material. During charging, the liquid electrolyte shuttles lithium ions between the cathode and anode. The ions move into the graphite anode where they are intercalated and stored at the center of clusters made up of four or five solvent molecules. On discharge, the ions travel in the opposite direction and release electrons to generate electricity.
Energy density is also determined by the type of lithium-ion chemistry used. The most popular chemistries use nickel, manganese and cobalt (NMC). As cobalt prices have increased, manufacturers are shifting to lower-cobalt NMC chemistry to reduce dependence on this critical mineral.
Batteries contain multiple cells stacked together and fastened in a case with positive and negative terminals wired to an external control unit. The control unit monitors the state of charge and regulates the battery’s operation. If overcharge or short-circuiting occurs, the battery’s internal heat can cause thermal runaway, which is a series of exothermic chemical reactions that increase temperature until the anode is hot enough to degrade the electrolyte and cause it to leak (liquid or gas), ignite and explode.
2. Longevity
EVs are powered by battery packs that contain thousands of rechargeable lithium-ion cells. Lithium ion is a popular choice for these cells because it has a much higher energy density than lead-acid and nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries, meaning that the same amount of power can be stored in a smaller volume. It also has a better energy efficiency than other rechargeable batteries and requires little to no maintenance.
However, like other rechargeable batteries, lithium-ion car batteries can lose their capacity over time. This is because range rover battery every time a cell is charged and discharged, it experiences a small amount of degradation. Depending on how frequently these cycles are performed, the capacity of the battery can drop significantly over time.
The good news is that most EV manufacturers guarantee the longevity of their battery packs. Nissan, for example, offers a warranty that covers eight years and 100,000 miles. Other automakers also offer similar warranties.
To ensure that EV battery packs last as long as possible, it is important to treat them with care. One way to do this is by avoiding draining the cells too often or by regularly filling up to 80% of their capacity. Doing so will help the cells degrade more slowly and prevent a loss in overall battery capacity. Lithium ion battery cells work by ping-ponging ions and electrons back and forth between the positive cathode (which is composed of metal oxides such as nickel, manganese, and cobalt) and the negative graphite anode.
3. Reliability
Lithium ion batteries are one of the most reliable technologies on the market, but they do have limited lifespans. Their ability to hold an electrical charge for a long time makes them very useful, but they must be used within the manufacturer’s guidelines in order to keep their health at optimal levels.
A lithium ion battery has two current collectors, one positive and one negative, which are separated by an electrolyte. When the battery is in use, the electrical current generated by the device being powered causes electrons to move from the negative electrode to the positive. This creates a difference in potential between the two sides of the battery, which allows the lithium ions to be shuttled across the electrolyte through the separator.
The process known as intercalation is what allows lithium-ion to offer higher energy density than traditional lead acid or nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries. The battery was invented by M. Stanley Whittingham in the 1970s with titanium disulfide and lithium aluminum cathodes, and further refined by John Goodenough and Akira Yoshino before becoming commercialized in 1991. It soon established itself as the standard for portable rechargeable batteries, superseding older nickel cadmium and nickel-metal hydride technologies.
Battery life is largely determined by the car battery number of charge and discharge cycles it experiences, with capacity loss an additional factor. However, the rate of degradation is influenced by other factors, such as temperature and storage conditions. Keeping the battery out of hot temperatures, cycling regularly and not dwelling in a fully charged state of charge can all help extend battery life.
4. Safety
Lithium ion batteries power the lives of millions of people each day in everything from laptops and cell phones to hybrid and electric cars. These batteries offer a great combination of light weight and high energy density. However, they can also pose fire dangers if users don’t follow product instructions for using, storing and disposing of them.
A lithium-ion battery is made up of an anode, cathode, separator, and electrolyte, with a positive and negative current collector on each side. The movement of lithium ions from the anode to the cathode via the electrolyte creates free electrons on the positive current collector that are then transferred to the negative one to complete a circuit. This electrical current powers the device being powered. The battery also stores energy in the form of chemically charged lithium ions on its anode when it isn’t being used.
When a lithium-ion battery is overcharged, unwanted chemical reactions cause the formation of sharp, needle-like lithium particles on the anode that penetrate through the separator and reach the cathode, creating internal short circuits and generating very high temperatures within the cell. This is known as thermal runaway and cannot be stopped once it is triggered.
Battery researchers are working to improve the safety of lithium-ion batteries by reducing the risk of internal short circuits with new materials, improving manufacturing methods, and adding a battery management system that detects and shuts off the cells before they fail. Educating the public about the fire risks associated with lithium batteries is another important step in making them safer to use.
