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Why are Lithium Batteries Not Allowed on Airplanes?

Himax Lithium-battery-not-allow-on-airplane

Lithium-battery-not-allow-on-airplane

You must be traveling so soon, and most probably, that’s why you have landed into this great piece of information. Do you know what is involved when traveling with devices containing lithium batteries? I bet not! That’s why you are on this.

Well, there are restrictions when we talk about traveling on planes. One of those restrictions involves lithium batteries. They may seem small, but the impact they can have when they cause a fire on board is unimaginable. Lithium batteries can produce dangerous heat levels, cause ignition, short circuit very easy, and cause inextinguishable fires. That’s why renowned aviation authorities, including those in the USA, have banned lithium batteries when traveling.

What Batteries are Not Allowed on Airplanes?

  1. Lithium Batteries for Spare – Both lithium polymer and lithium metal are not allowed on planes both in carry on and checked baggage. Lithium batteries have hit news headlines in recent months. Suppose a single cell was to catch fire because of the dangers associated with thermal runways. There have been viral videos on YouTube involving various gadgets raging from hoverboards to a pair of earphones. These videos showed these gadgets burning into flames. Aviation authorities have banned some of these gadgets from getting into planes, and the recent ban was Samsung note 7 smart-phones from the USA after it was proven to cause fire and explosives. There are cautions if batteries have to get into the plane, and they should be kept strictly separated from other flammable materials.
  2. Spillable Batteries – Also known as car batteries or wet batteries too are not allowed in planes. But you can be let in with such batteries if, for instance, you have a wheelchair or using the battery to charge a scooter. You can be allowed to have the batteries on the plane. However, you are advised to inform the plane staff so that they can lay down the necessary measures to pack the batteries for the safe flight properly.

How Can Lithium Batteries Prevent you From Flying?

It would be good to let you know the limitation that air passengers are set to observe as they go with devices using lithium batteries or when traveling with spare batteries.

Here are some guidelines:

  1. Carry Fewer PEDs – PEDs are the equipment used with lithium batteries as the source of power. Such material includes electronic devices like cameras, mobile phones, laptops, e-readers, and medical devices such as portable oxygen generators. While traveling on planes, you are supposed to have less than fifteen devices with you either in carry on or checked baggage.
  2. Battery Content and Ratings – Every installed battery in a PED MUST not surpass the following: for the lithium metal or lithium alloy batteries; you are not expected to carry any lithium with more than two grams.

For the lithium-ion batteries, they should indicate an hour watt rating of less than 100 Wh.

I know you wonder how about that battery of yours with no Wh rating, you have to calculate it using the formula below to determine the watts hours rating.

Volts* ampere-hours = Watts hours.

If your battery’s capacity is shown in milliamp here hours, you will need to divide the ampere-hours by 1000 before executing the math.

  1. Protection From Damages – For the batteries that might be allowed in the plane and carried in checked baggage, measures should be put in place to prevent any damage and prevent any unintentional fire incidences.
  2. Complete Devices Switch Off – The devices on board using lithium batteries; they must be switched off entirely and not in sleep mode or hibernation.

Traveling and shipping lithium batteries can be complicated, and failure to know the traveling and shipping procedures and mechanisms can make you not travel.

How Do You Travel With Lithium Batteries?

  1. Smart Luggage – Some of the newly made suitcases, are coming with the inbuilt charging system to power up your phone. However relaxed, they may sound; it’s important to remember that many airline rules never allow them on board. These suitcases have built-in lithium batteries. It’s advisable to check your luggage to confirm it has the lithium batteries. Remove them from the luggage and carry them on board with you.
  2. Lithium Spare Batteries – If you honestly need to travel with extra lithium batteries, you need to transport them in carry-on luggage with every battery separately to protect and prevent short circuits. We recommend retaining them in the original package, taping over the exposed terminals.
  3. Electronic Cigarettes and Vape Pens – Although some airline companies still term vape pens as dangerous, need to confirm before with them in case rules, and procedures have changed. Otherwise, electronic cigarettes with lithium batteries are allowed on planes but only on carry-on luggage.
  4. Power Banks and External Chargers – Power banks and external chargers that are met to charge other devices have inbuilt lithium-ion batteries. You are advised to transport them with the same care as you do spare lithium batteries.
  5. Shipping Lithium Batteries– All shipping requirements should comply with aviation authority guidelines. For the cargo composing of lithium battery devices – laptops and phones being shipped and you as a staff you are not sure whether they are separately packed, kindly contact your business representative for further assistance.

Conclusion

Traveling with lithium battery devices can pose such a big challenge on board. They are avoided on planes following the dangers associated with them in case they cause a fire. However, there those that are entirely not allowed while others are allowed. If you have to travel with them, you either have them on the carry on or at checked luggage. Aviation authorities have gone ahead to ban them. For those that are allowed, they should be limited to keep the minimal chances of fire occurrence. Authorities are forced to do this despite planes having extinguisher systems because; a fire caused by lithium-ion batteries is so enormous such that the system has proven not to put it out. Mind your devices with lithium-ion batteries when on planes.

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What is a High Rate Battery?

Himax-High-Rate-Battery

A high rate battery generally refers to a lithium battery, and a lithium-ion battery is a high-charge battery that relies on lithium ions to move between a positive electrode and a negative electrode to operate.

Himax-High-Rate-Battery

High rate battery

During charge and discharge, Li+ is embedded and deintercalated between the two electrodes: when charging the battery, Li+ is deintercalated from the positive electrode, embedded in the negative electrode via the electrolyte, and the negative electrode is in a lithium-rich state; A battery containing a lithium element as an electrode is generally used. It is the representative of modern high-performance batteries.

Lithium batteries are classified into high-rate batteries and lithium-ion batteries. At present, mobile phones and notebook computers use lithium-ion batteries, which are commonly referred to as high-rate batteries, and true high-rate batteries are rarely used in everyday electronic products because of their high risk.

Lithium-ion batteries have high energy density and high uniform output voltage. Self-discharge is a small, good battery, less than 2% per month (recoverable). There is no memory effect. The operating temperature range is -20 ° C ~ 60 ° C. The regenerative function is excellent, the battery can be charged and discharged quickly, the charging efficiency is up to 100%, and the output power is large. long-lasting. It does not contain toxic or hazardous substances and is called a green battery.

The battery charging

It is an important step in the repeated use of the battery. The charging process of the lithium-ion battery is divided into two stages: a constant current fast charging phase and a constant voltage current decreasing phase. During the constant current fast charging phase, the battery voltage is gradually increased to the standard voltage of the battery, and then the constant voltage is turned under the control chip, the voltage is no longer raised to ensure that the battery is not overcharged, and the current is gradually reduced to the rise of the battery power. Set the value and finish charging.

The power statistics chip can calculate the battery power by recording the discharge curve. After the lithium-ion battery is used for many times, the discharge curve will change. Although the lithium-ion battery does not have a memory effect, improper charging and discharging will seriously affect the battery function.

Charging considerations

Excessive charging and discharging of lithium-ion batteries can cause permanent damage to the positive and negative electrodes. The excessive discharge causes the negative carbon sheet structure to collapse, and the collapse causes lithium ions to be inserted during charging; excessive charging causes excessive lithium ions to be embedded in the negative carbon structure, which causes the lithium ions in the sector to be released again.

The charging amount is the charging current multiplied by the charging time. When the charging control voltage is constant, the charging current is larger (the charging speed is faster), and the charging amount is smaller.

The battery charging speed is too fast and the termination voltage control point is improper, which also causes the battery capacity to be insufficient. Actually, the battery electrode active material does not fully react and stops charging. This phenomenon of insufficient charging is aggravated by the increase in the number of cycles.

The battery discharge

For the first charge and discharge, if the time is long (usually 3 – 4 hours is sufficient), then the electrode can reach the highest oxidation state (sufficient power) as much as possible, and the discharge (or use) is forced to The set voltage, or until the automatic shutdown, such as the ability to activate the battery capacity. However, in the ordinary use of the lithium-ion battery, it is not necessary to operate like this, and it can be charged as needed at any time, and it is not necessary to be fully charged when charging, and it is not necessary to discharge first. For the first time charging and discharging, it is only necessary to perform 1 to 2 consecutive times every 3 to 4 months.

High rate battery application

For electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, the core technology lies in high-rate batteries. Compared with other types of batteries, powerful lithium-ion batteries have the advantages of high cost and poor safety performance, but they have higher specific energy and long cycle life. Such important advantages, and therefore have a broader development prospect.

High rate battery

The technical development of power lithium-ion batteries is also changing with each passing day. Both the capacity and structure have been improved. Experts say that no matter which technical route the battery manufacturer adopts, it should meet the requirements of high safety, wide temperature difference, and charge and discharge functionality. Strong, high rate discharge and other conditions.

Battery capacity involves technology and costs Lithium-ion batteries can be divided into small batteries and large batteries according to their size. Small batteries are usually used in 3C electronic products. The related technologies and industries have developed very maturely, and the overall profit is decreasing. More than 85% of current lithium-ion battery products are small batteries.

Large batteries are also commonly known as power batteries. There are also two types of small power batteries and large power batteries. The former is mainly used for electric tools and electric bicycles. The latter is used in electric vehicles and energy storage fields, all of which use high rate battery.

At present, three types of electric vehicles, namely, pure electric (EV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and hybrid (HEV), are in a period of rapid development, which has attracted much attention from the industry. As the core of the future automotive industry, the development of the powerful lithium-ion battery industry has received unprecedented attention and has been raised to a strategic height by major countries.

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What Are the Dangers of Using the Wrong Wattage

Most smartphones on the market use LiPo (Lithium-ion Polymer) batteries. They are 3.8V per cell (4.35V when fully charged) and generally about 3 Ampere hour (Ah), or 3000 milliampere hour (mAh), in capacity. The charging voltage must be higher than the battery voltage. Because the battery is polarized when the battery is charged, the voltage must reach or exceed the sum of the battery voltage and the polarizing voltage in order to effectively inject current. Therefore, the standard output voltage of portable power banks on the market is 5V / 2.1A.

Here to mention, the fast charging technology we see is the next level of 3 Amps charging technology.

In this situation, the watts of phone batteries needed is around 18.5W (3.7 Volts times 5 Amps Hour capacity), and the portable power bank is around 37W, the battery has higher wattage than the device and it is sufficient to power the phone. What if it is lower than the device needed?

Battery (Watts) < Device (Watts)

Light bulbs are marked as 10W, 20W, 30W, etc. Suppose we use a 10W battery to power a 40W bulb, the result would be a lightbulb that is less bright and feels dim. If the power differs too much, the bulb may not even light up.

 

The secondary issue with this is that, the battery now needs to displace more power to meet the demand of the bulb, thus lowering overall battery capacity.

Battery (Watts) > Device (Watts)

A lightbulb has a sticker that clearly specifies the maximum wattage acceptable, if the power of battery is higher, it could cause a hazardous situation. There are two watts on a light bulb, equivalent watts and actual watts. For example, an LED light bulb may produce 95W equivalent lighting, but only requires 25W to power.

You must not exceed the required watt.

 

If you exceed actual watts, e.g. an incandescent 75W bulb that uses a real 75W in a socket that says max 60W then you may risk overheating and fire, and may have the following consequences:

  • The fixture might overheat
  • The fixture could be discolored and/or destroyed
  • The lamp could burn-out prematurely
  • The house could be burnt down
  • The wiring could be damaged
  • If there were enough of them in a circuit, it could overload the circuit
  • Other bad consequences

Why not overload when using high power batteries/wall socket?

The input voltage and power of our home appliances are different, but whether it is converting 110V civil AC (220V in China) to about 5V DC to mobile phone batteries, or 370V DC to Electric vehicles, only require two steps: “rectification” and “voltage transformation”.

 

In order to supply power to our different household appliances, the electrical plug is used to transform the voltage, and its power is adjusted to deliver electricity to the device.

Imagine that our electricity is like water, which is transmitted to all the devices in your home through pipes (grid network). The wall socket is the gate, and the plug is the water pipe connected to this gate. The water pressure is adjusted to prevent too much water pressure to damage the devices.

The AC voltage in different countries and regions is also different, so there are various plugs for us. If you want to use Chinese appliances in the United States, you need to buy a conversion plug.

Related information:

Complete list: Plug, socket & voltage by country

Plug, socket & voltage by country

Plug & socket types

Plug & socket types

That mobile power is the same reason, the voltage is transformed through the plug. However, the battery like the portable power station does not have the high voltage and power of the wall socket.

 

At present, the maximum power of most portable power solutions only offer about 150W ~ 200W. So utilizing a standard portable power solution to power a 1200W kettle is pretty unrealistic. Therefore, before purchasing equipment and batteries, pay attention to the power requirements of the device and if the battery is able to support it.

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What is The Best Battery For Kayaking?

Kayaking-Battery

According to Yakgear, kayak fishing has advantages over the traditional method by boat.  Just to name a couple, anglers can fish more economically and in smaller bodies of water.

What the general public might not know is that batteries are needed for motorized kayaks.

Kayaking-Battery

What do I need to know before choosing a battery?

Users should be aware of the basic terms outlined below:

  • Voltage (V):Like water pressure, it is the pressure from an electrical circuit’s power source that pushes charged electrons (current) through a conducting loop.
  • Ampere hours (Amps, A): This is the measurement of the current of electricity. It is also used to represent the battery capacity (Ah).
  • Life cycles: This is the measurement of battery life or the number of complete charge/discharge cycles that the battery is able to support before its capacity falls below 80% its original.
  • Depth of discharge (DOD): The DOD is often paired with life cycles, representing the percentage of the battery that has been discharged relative to the overall capacity of the battery.
  • Operation temperature (℃):This is the battery’s operating range of temperature. The battery should not be used outside this temperature rang as it will be damaged and become a safety hazard.
  • Watts:Watts represent how much energy is stored in the battery. If you want your electronics to work properly, you must confirm that the watts of the battery are sufficient (higher than the devices you used).

 

Where is the battery used on a kayak?

There are only three instances where we will need batteries on a kayak: When you need to charge your phone and power your light source and fish finder. The batteries must provide sufficient voltage and capacity to these devices while you are fishing so that you have enough power.

 

What is the best battery for kayaking?

A 12V and 10Ah battery is sufficient for most fish finders while providing extra power for other devices.  Most people choose between either Lithium-ion Polymer or Lead-Acid batteries.

 

Lead-Acid batteries

Lead Acid batteries have the advantage of lower cost and little to no maintenance fee, but they can be heavyweight.

For safety reasons, users should choose a brand new Lead-Acid battery and ensure it is made of strong materials that prevent leakage of hazardous chemicals.

 

Lithium-ion Polymer (LiPo) batteries

Users have also used LiPo batteries by connecting them in series or parallel.  They have they advantage of weighing less than other traditional power sources although they range from having 200 to 500 cycles.

 

Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries

LiFePO4 batteries have a cycle life of more than 2,000, and they do not require frequent as much maintenance and replacements as compared to their Lead-Acid counterparts.  These batteries are also more environmentally friendly.

Why Himax?

Himax is a cell and battery pack manufacturer that specializes in Lithium batteries.  As we have various designs for numerous applications, we can custom-make Lithium batteries for your marine uses.

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Why High Voltage Batteries?

High-Voltage-LiPo-Batteries

High-Voltage-LiPo-Batteries

Drones are being used more and more widely in all our lives, so the batteries that power these devices are increasingly advancing and being pushed to their limits. One of the biggest challenges to these batteries is endurance; more and more users need the power to last longer.

One such example is with an agricultural drone. Let’s say that the drone carries 10kg of pesticide with two ordinary Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries that have a capacity of 16000mAh in 6S (22.2V). This drone will only be able to last about ten minutes with these batteries, which farmers generally find to be too short. However, the use of high-voltage batteries with the same capacity and C rating can increase this flight time by 15-25%, which will increase the efficiency and operations.

We will explore why high-voltage batteries can improve flight duration and also look at the advantages of such batteries.

1. Weight

Without an increase in weight, high-voltage batteries provide better performance.  This is key for UAVs since each drone has a specific payload that it cannot go over.

2. Higher Voltage

If we compare ordinary LiPo batteries to that of those with high voltage, we see a subtle change in voltage. Through this little voltage increase, users are able to get increased performance in their products.

Ordinary LiPo Batteries

The nominal voltage for a single LiPo cell is 3.7V. A 6S battery pack has a nominal voltage of 22.2V, and a 12S has 44.4V.

A single LiPo cell that is fully charged has 4.2V while a 6S has 25.2V and a 12S 50.4V.

High-Voltage LiPo Batteries

The nominal voltage of a single high-voltage LiPo cell is 3.8V, a 6S pack has 22.8V, and a 12S has 45.6V.

A single LiPo cell that is fully charged has 4.35V while a 6S has 26.1V and a 12S 52.2V.

3. Better Cycle Life

Battery-cycle-life

In the chart above, we can follow the discharge rate of several batteries. The high-voltage 4.4V batteries (shown in green) demonstrate a higher discharge rate and discharge capacity.

Battery-cycle-life-1

The above chart shows that, under the same discharge currents and cycles, the 4.4V (in blue) has a longer cycle life than the other batteries at 4.35V or 4.2V.

4. Increased Efficiency

Similar to the example offered at the beginning, we put two drones together for a simple test.  Both drones carried 15kg of water with two batteries of 25C and 22000mAh in 6S.

The drone with the non-high-voltage batteries (22.2V) lasted 17 minutes and 50 seconds.

The drone with the high-voltage batteries (22.8V) lasted longer for 22 minutes and 10 seconds, lasting 4 minutes longer than the ordinary batteries.

Conclusion

According to the above data, the advantages of high-voltage UAV batteries are obvious.

We are able to custom, high-voltage cells and offer a one-stop service for your battery designs and solutions.

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American University Develops A New Type Of Lithium-ion Battery That Will Not Catch Fire: Can Withstand Ballistic Impact

Johns-Hopkins-new-type-of-li-ion-battery-will-not-catch-fire

Lithium-ion batteries are required for smartphones, laptops, and electric cars. Although lithium-ion batteries have many advantages, they still have a fire hazard when they overheat. According to foreign media reports, The Johns Hopkins University is developing a new type of lithium-ion battery that will not catch fire and has made breakthroughs.

The researchers said that the new lithium-ion battery is very thin and flexible, unlike the current lithium-ion battery. Today’s lithium-ion batteries must be encapsulated in a rigid cylindrical or polygonal battery cover to isolate unstable and explosive components. The battery developed by Johns Hopkins University is very strong, can be immersed in water, cut, and even withstand ballistic impact.

Johns-Hopkins-new-type-of-li-ion-battery-will-not-catch-fire

ONE TOUGH POWER SOURCE

The popular myth that a spider is never more than a few feet away is arguably more true of lithium-ion batteries than of arachnids. Powering everything from smartphones and laptops to electronic cigarettes, lithium-ion batteries beat out alternative sources of power because of their top-notch energy density and long life cycle, meaning they can be recharged over and over again before breaking down. Yet for all these advantages, lithium-ion batteries come with a major concern: They can catastrophically ignite when they overheat.

 

At the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, a new type of lithium-ion battery that cannot catch fire is in the works. A team of researchers led by Konstantinos Gerasopoulos, a senior research scientist at the lab, recently made breakthroughs in their development efforts. The new battery is thin and flexible, unlike today’s lithium-ion batteries that must be packaged in rigid cylindrical or polygonal cases to wall off their volatile contents. The APL battery is also tough, able to withstand submersion in water, cutting, and even ballistic impacts.

 

“We wanted to create a battery that is as thin and powerful as the electronics it’s intended to power,” Gerasopoulos says. “And to do that, we needed to transform the battery’s safety.”

 

  • Swap out for safety

In batteries, a liquid electrolyte conveys electrons between two electrodes, providing an electric current that powers your device. Standard lithium-ion batteries contain an electrolyte with an organic solvent that, while efficient, happens to be flammable. Gerasopoulos and colleagues have developed a new class of electrolyte that uses lithium salts dissolved in water as an inflammable solvent. A polymer matrix—basically, a kind of plastic sponge—soaks up the water, and the ultimate result is a bendable, soft, contact lens–like electrolyte.

  • The positive with the negative

Usually, lithium-ion battery electrodes are foil-like and, when bent too much, can crinkle and be damaged. APL’s battery electrodes are instead crafted with Kapton, a flexible film often used to insulate a spacecraft from extreme temperatures. As an added bonus, Kapton is a readily available, off-the-shelf material, reducing the battery’s cost and complexity to manufacture.

  • More power for longer

The current iteration of the new electrolyte sustains 4.1 volts—not quite as much as conventional lithium-ion batteries, but it’s inching closer. The APL team also wants to improve the battery’s life cycle from around a hundred charges to more like a thousand, matching today’s typical battery performances. Continued tweaking of the polymer’s chemistry for better electrochemical stability should deliver on these two objectives.

 

The article is forwarded from Johns Hopkins Magazine by Adam Hadhazy

Original URL: HERE

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How To Store 18650 Batteries Safely

warehouse

warehouse

What is the best way to store an 18650 battery?

In this blog post, rather than do my own testing – I will rely on the specification sheets provided by Panasonic, Samsung, and LG. We’ll look at the storing section of these spec sheets, and break down the important factors and what they mean. Scroll to the end, the overview, to get to the conclusions of the post quickly.

Panasonic-18650-B

18650B

 

What does it mean?

There are three rows, each with different storage conditions. Note the second and third column are locked in place by the fourth. Each row represents recovering 80% of the battery’s usable capacity. Since the rated capacity of the NCR18650B is 3200 mAh, this 80% represents 2560 mAh after storage.

  1. If you are storing an 18650 battery for less than a month, you may store it in an environment as hot as 50°Cand be able to recover 2560 mAh.
  2. If you are storing an 18650 battery for less than 3 months, you may store it in an environment as hot as 40°Cand be able to recover 2560 mAh.
  3. If you are storing an 18650 battery for less than 1 year, you may store it in an environment as hot as 20°Cand be able to recover 2560 mAh.

In the last case, storing for one year with a 20% drop in capacity translates to 1.6% loss of capacity per month, or 53 mAh.

In the first case (storing at high temperatures for less than one month) translates to a loss of 21 mAh per day.

Storage temperature and conditions

We can see from the above 3 items, it is temperature as the main factor determining the resulting capacity after storage, and ultimately how long you can store your battery for.

18650 batteries can be stored at very low temperatures, but high temperatures degrade them quickly. Rule of thumb: They must always be stored at less than 60°C.

Lithium-ion batteries, in most cases must maintain a voltage above 2.5V before they start to break down and decompose. Therefore, for long-term storage it is best to “top-up” your batteries when their voltage drops too low.

  • Note 1:When receiving new cells, the manufacture will ship them at a 40% charge. However, it is very likely this will soon be set at 30% as airline safety regulations demand safer transport, and less charge is safer.
  • Note 2:In these tests, Panasonic fully charged the batteries at 25°C, up to 4.2V. However, for long-term storage it is recommended not to store at a full charge, but to seek a lower voltage (more on that ahead).

Finally, the environment should be dry, or low humidity – without dust, or a corrosive gas atmosphere. Optimizing your cell’s environment becomes more important the longer they are kept stored. Anything above 3 months may start to be considered long-term.

Samsung-25R

Samsung 25R

 

Differences between the Samsung 25R and Panasonic 18650B

The Samsung 25R performs better during storage on all fronts. Across the board, the 25R can store at ten degrees lower than the 18650B. As well, the difference in higher temperatures, in favor of the 25R from 1 month, 3 months, to 1.5 years, is +10°C, +5°C, +5°C.

Most importantly, this 18650 battery can be stored a full six months longer and retain 90% capacity (10% more than the NCR18650B).

The optimal storing voltage

The 25R spec sheet notes that for long-term storage, the voltage should, rather than be fully charged, set at a lower, more optimal voltage. This is to prevent the degrading of performance characteristics. In the case of the 25R, the recommended voltage is 50 ± 5% of its standard (4.2V) charged state.

  • This works out to be a range between 3.64V and 3.71V

Other batteries have different ranges, but most are close to ~50% voltage which is usually around ~3.7V.

Storing 18650 batteries

Overview

It is good to reference at least three batteries, and off the blog I have checked more. All 18650 batteries researched need a storage range of between -20 ~ +50°C (-4°F ~ + 122°F) or they will degrade, so this is a good rule of thumb to use.

Also keep in mind the maximum temperature for storage should never exceed +60°C (140°F). It is better to store in a cold environment, than a hot one.

Optimally, a good storage temperature should be closer to 25°C (77°F) or a somewhat lower. The closer you are to an optimal temperature, the longer you will be able to store your batteries without “topping up” and recharging them.

For the most part, the maximum time for 18650 storage before recharge is about one year.

If you are intending long term 18650 storage, a storage charge closer to 50% of usable capacity (~3.7V) rather than 100% (4.2V) will prevent faster battery degradation.

Frequently asked questions and notes

What happens if I don’t store my 18650 batteries correctly?

It will cause a loss of performance and your cells may leak and/or rust, and ultimately become unusable. Cells becoming unstable enough and exploding in storage is a possibility. In the worst case – explosion – it is not clear why this sometimes happens but it could be due to static, pressure, temperature, or packing incorrectly (allowing metal objects or batteries to touch).

Notes
  • For very short-term storage, don’t store the battery in a pocket or a bag together with metallic objects such as keys, necklaces, hairpins, coins, or screws when you are travelling.
  • Remove the battery from its application before storing it. For example, from your e-cigarette, flashlight, or electric bike. You should optimally store the batteries in a fire-proof container, with optimal environmental conditions.
  • Do not store 18650 batteries in or near objects that will produce a static electric charge.
  • Quick pressure changes can also cause 18650 batteries to malfunction

 

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Lithium Was Made In The First Three Minutes Of The Universe’s Existence

lithium

Lithium is thought to be one of the first elements made after the Big Bang. An enormous amount of Hydrogen, Helium, and Lithium (the first three elements on the periodic table) were synthesized within the first thee minutes of the universe’s existence.

This process is called Big Bang nucleosynthesis. Essentially, all elements heavier than lithium were made much later by stellar nucleosynthesis (like what is happening in the Sun).

Li-ion

Lithium is special for other reasons too

Lithium facts on history

Lithium is from Greek lithos meaning “stone”

Was used in the first man-made nuclear reaction in 1932

Lithium interesting facts

Soft enough to be cut by scissors

The lightest metal, and least dense solid element, so it can easily float on water

Does not occur freely in nature (it’s too unstable), but is found in nearly all lava, mineral water, and sea water

Pure lithium corrodes immediately when exposed to the moisture in air

Lithium in biology

18650 3.7V

All organisms have a little lithium in their bodies, but it does not seem to serve a biological purpose

Lithium in pills is used to treat bipolar disorder

Lithium in economics

80% of the world’s lithium is in salt flats between Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia

 

Let’s look at some pictures

lithium-chemical

Here are some pieces of raw lithium. Notice the lines and grooves cut into the soft metal by the tool they used to cut it. Also note what appears to be a bubble. It is most likely Hydrogen, as this is what is released when lithium reacts to water (or water from moisture in the air).

Lithium cell

This is a photograph taken in Bolivia, in what is called ‘Salar de Uyuni’ – the biggest salt lake in the world. The amazing scenery holds a secret – a huge reserve of lithium. With the right investment, Bolivia may become what Kuwait was for oil to the new rechargeable revolution.

18650 lilon battery

A fully developed lithium mine in the Atacama Desert. This is where the material in your 18650 battery most likely comes from.

asteroidc and li

This is a depiction of Asteroid 2012 DA14 which nearly missed Earth a few years ago. It was once famously valued at $195 billion US dollars for the large amount of metals like iron ore, copper, and lithium trapped inside. Maybe one day we won’t have to dig up our backyard to get the resources we need to enjoy ourselves.

So remember, next time you turn on your vaporizer, or other machine that uses li-ion batteries, to think a little about where it came from and what it means for our future.

 

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What are some cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries?

The material and chemistry used in the cathode of a battery are vital in determining the battery performance. Currently, the positive electrode materials successfully developed and applied include lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium manganate (LiMn2O4), ternary material nickel cobalt manganate (NCM), and nickel cobalt aluminum aluminate (NCA). We will explore a few common chemistries for cathode material in this article.

Himax-battery

  • Lithium cobalt oxide (LCO, LiCoO)

Lithium cobalt oxide, also known as lithium cobaltate, are particularly special because they were the first commercially produced lithium batteries. Lithium cobaltate has many benefits with its high discharge platform, simple synthesis process, high capacity, and good cycle performance.  However, cobalt can be relatively toxic, and the price high.  It is also difficult to guarantee safety when making large LCO batteries.

Most 3C electronic batteries still use LCO rather than a higher-capacity ternary material because lithium cobalt oxide material has greater density per volume. Lithium cobalt oxide is predominantly used in cell phones and laptops.

Furthermore, the theoretical capacity of lithium cobalt oxide is high, but the actual capacity is only half of what is theorized. The reason is due to the charging process: when the amount of lithium ions extracted from lithium cobalt oxide material is less than 50%, the morphology and crystal form of the material can be kept stable.  However, when the lithium-ion extraction amount increases to 50%, the lithium cobaltate material undergoes a phase change. If charging continues at this time, cobalt will dissolve in the electrolyte and generate oxygen, which affects the stability of the battery cycle life and performance.

LiFePO4-Battery

  • Lithium iron phosphate (LFP, LiFePO4)

There is wide interest in Lithium iron phosphate cathode materials.

Its main features include non harmful elements, low cost, and good safety and cycle life (its lifespan can reach 10,000 cycles). These characteristics have made lithium iron phosphate materials popular for research, and they are widely used in the field of electric vehicles.

The main disadvantage of lithium iron phosphate is its low energy density. The voltage of lithium iron phosphate material is only about 3.3V, which makes the LFP battery have lower energy storage. Lithium iron phosphate also has poor conductivity and needs to be nanometer-sized. It can be coated to obtain good electrochemical performance, which makes the material become “fluffy” and the compaction density low. The combined effect of the two makes the energy density of lithium iron phosphate batteries lower than that of lithium cobalt oxide and ternary batteries.

Recently, accidents concerning new energy vehicles have occurred and frequently show up on the news. People hope to improve upon the materials and its safety performance by modifying it: some researchers have mixed lithium iron phosphate with manganese to make it have higher voltage and energy density while others have mixed it with NCM ternary material.

 

  • Ternary materials (NCM, NCA)

Ternary material is the common name of lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (LiNixCoyMn1-x-y02), which is very similar to lithium cobaltate. This material can be balanced and adjusted in its specific energy, cycle, safety, and cost.

The different configurations of nickel, cobalt, and manganese bring about various properties to the material: increasing the nickel content increases the capacity of the material but makes the cycle performance worse; the presence of cobalt makes the material structure more stable but the content too high and capacity reduced; the presence of manganese reduces costs and improves its safety performance, but its high content destroys the layered structure of the material.

Due to the many factors that need to be considered when using these elements, the focus of ternary material research and development has been on finding the proportional relationship between nickel, cobalt, and manganese in order to achieve optimal performance.

 

If you are interested in the Himax’s high discharge and custom-made batteries, please reach out to us at sales@himaxelectronics.com. We can be the one-stop solution to your products’ needs.

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Tips To Buy a RC Drone

Drones Battery

Whether you are planning to buy a RC drone as a gift to gift someone or want to buy one to fly in your leisure time, some mini RC drones with hidden camera options that can be used as a    spy video camera, others with LED blades that can be flown at night. With so many designs and features to choose, following are some useful tips for buying some of the best RC drones available from the market:

Drones Battery

Ready- Made vs Build-Your-Own

For teens, RC drones can be a wonderful hobby. It allows them to go outside and develop technical skills to operate various types of gadgets and vehicles.  For adults, flying these drones can be a great way to relieve stress from work and studies. Comparing to other RC gadgets and vehicles RC drones can be quite complicated to operate.Therefore, you need to practice a lot before flying them outdoors. On the other hand,  before buying an RC drone, you need to choose between ready-made or build-your-own option.

Ready-made RC drones are perfect for those who wish to fly one without considering technical and mechanical sides. Ready-made RC drones are usually preferred by newbie’s as it is easier to operate than build-your-own drone.

Those people who prefer an RC drone kit and build it from scratch are usually those who are interested in exploring everything about their RC drones. If you build one by yourself,  you can even customize it and improve its performance. However, bear in mind that it requires a lot of time, patience and efforts.

Rc battery

Gas and Electric Powered RC Drones

Generally speaking, RC drones that run on gas are more rare and expensive than electric ones. They are also more complicated to operate and fly.

Electric ones are less expensive than gas powered RC drones and can be easily operated outdoors. Although their battery packs can be quite expensive, however, they are easier to maintain and operate.

 

Indoor and Outdoor Drones

Indoor RC drones are perfect for newbie’s and amateur players as they are not as powerful as outdoor RC drones. Moreover, they can only go up to a certain level as they are meant to be used indoors.

Also, you need to make sure that no obviously objects or pets getting into your road when flying RC drones indoor.

Outdoor RC drones are more expensive and powerful than indoor drones and can be easily operated from a wide distance.

Outdoor drones are not recommended for new players as they can harm travelers or vehicles if they get crashed from a high height.

 

Mini vs Large Drones

RC drones come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Smaller RC drones do not cause any severe damage in case of an accident. They are quite versatile and can be flown indoors and outdoors as well. They’re perfect for new players and do not require much time to set up.

However, they are not as sturdy as bigger RC models.

Larger drones are more suitable for professional players. They closely resemble real helicopters and can be easily flown in windy places.

Bigger models can be quite expensive and you need to follow certain rules while flying such drones outdoors.

RC drones battery

LED Blades for RC Drones

RC drones are equally fun when flown at night. You can use special blades that consists of bright neon and LED lights for a better night vision. You can even customize your blades yourself with LED strips. Whether you are flying your drone during the day or night time, try to avoid flying them in public places.

 

Currently on the market common drone batteries are mainly divided into three kinds.
1. lithium polymer batteries, with high energy density, lightweight features, most stores sell drones mostly powered by lithium polymer batteries.
2. lithium batteries: higher price, but large capacity, lightweight, high stability, and longer service life than lead-acid and nickel-metal hydride batteries. 3. nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries: the battery can be used to power drones.
3. nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries: moderately priced, but heavier, with longer safety and service life, suitable for large drones that require long flight times.

Li-ion batteries are the most common type of UAV batteries nowadays, which have the advantages of high energy density, large capacity, light weight and easy charging. Polymer batteries are one of the thinnest and lightest drone batteries, capable of meeting the energy needs of small drones, but relatively susceptible to temperature effects. From a comprehensive point of view, Li-ion batteries have become the most popular type of drone batteries on the market.

Common Drone Battery Voltages and Capacities

Drone batteries come in a variety of voltages, with 3.7V, 7.4V, 11V, 14.8V, and so on being commonly used. The higher the voltage, the more power and speed the drone can provide, but at the same time the battery will be heavier and larger.
Generally speaking, small drones use 3.7V or 7.4V batteries, while larger drones require higher voltage batteries to provide sufficient power and speed. But at the same time, the battery voltage also needs to be matched with the motors used in the drone to ensure the efficiency and life of the motors.

Batteries used in drones generally have a capacity of 500mAh to 10,000mAh. The higher the capacity, the longer the battery will last, but it will also be heavier and bulkier.
For small drones, a battery with a capacity of 500mAh to 1000mAh is the most common choice, while larger drones require a higher capacity battery to provide sufficient battery life. Battery capacity also needs to be considered in relation to the weight, flight speed and altitude of the drone.

Maintenance and Repair

The maintenance of an RC drone includes changing the motor and preventing it from overheating. For beginners, it is recommended to seek for some professional help in case a drone is damaged or is not properly working.

A battery with lower C rate can negatively affect the speed and overall performance of your drone. In order to maximize the life cycles of your drone’s battery, please wait for at least half an hour to recharge your drained battery. Also, avoid overcharging it.

You can also join an online website or group to get valuable insights and information regarding RC drones. You can follow various threads and blogs to get updates and reviews for the latest RC drone kits.

 

 

Keep an eye out on Himax’s official blog, where we regularly update industry-related articles to keep you up-to-date on the battery industry and related peripheral market.