Lithium batteries - excellent replacement for alkaline and saline analogues

Lithium batteries, as the name suggests, operate on a soft alkaline metal called lithium. This natural material is the lightest of all known metals. It is lighter than water, and therefore has buoyancy, not only in aqueous solutions, but even in kerosene. Accordingly, lithium has a broadest electrochemical potential, which makes it possible to safely consider it the most active metal.

Lithium batteries created on its basis have low mass-size indicators, as well as a fairly high value of energy density.

The main advantages of each lithium battery are:

1. Low self-charging current. This allows to increase the service life in the inactive state by several times in comparison with the alkaline counterparts.

2. There is no need for periodic recharge from an external energy source.

3. Practically there is no loss of capacity at negative ambient temperatures, which makes lithium batteries indispensable in the Far North.

4. Long service life.

5. A small mass.

The manufacturing plants produce lithium batteries with different chemical composition, which makes it possible to obtain products oriented to different operating voltages, as well as having different energy intensities.

The most common are lithium batteries of the following types:

1. Li-MnO2 with a nominal voltage of 3 V. The most common type. It has high capacity and a significant temperature range of use. It is capable of delivering a current of considerable magnitude.

2. Li-FeS2 or lithium-iron disulphide batteries. Produced at a voltage of 1.5 V and represent an excellent alternative to salt and alkaline batteries. A small value of the rated voltage allows direct use in the devices.

The advantages of this type of batteries are:

A) The service life is longer approximately 4 times compared to alkaline batteries.

B) Weight is reduced by 30%.

B) Recoil of a large current.

D) Shelf life is more than 10 years.

The disadvantage is only one: high cost.

3. Li-Ion or lithium-ion batteries. They are available for a range of nominal voltages from 3.5 to 4 V. In power supplies of this type, lithium metal is replaced with its ions, which makes their operation more safe. This type of battery has the ability to recharge, so they are often called batteries. They are not subject to the so-called "memory effect" and have high energy performance. In the inactive mode, there is self-discharge, which is about 5 percent a month. Sensitive to high temperatures.

Since lithium is an active metal, the production of lithium batteries is often hampered by special requirements for safety. This metal actively interacts with water, resulting in the liberation of hydrogen and alkali. In addition, one should not mix with oxygen, as this can lead to an explosion.