Solid-state batteries into the correct context

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We know the importance of li ion customized battery packs and solid-state batteries. Despite the importance of solid-state batteries, But in its publicity and boasting, there’s something less clear. This article lists ten topics to provide a clearer understanding of solid-state batteries, but we need to put these topics into the correct context and be alert to missing information.

  • Safety – Undoubtedly the most important factor Let’s start at the beginning, which is also the original and hopefully still the main reason for solid state batteries. The reason for this is safety, which is directly related to the temperature limits of the liquid electrolyte. We all know about thermal runaway in current li ion customized battery packs: rare, but unstoppable fires. When the battery is unable to discharge heat at the rate it is being produced, a chain reaction begins. Current li ion customized battery packs are kept operating within a safe temperature range, typically around 25-45°C, by cooling systems and battery management systems (BMS). Typically, a battery requires failure, defect, misuse, or accident to cause overheating. Unfortunately, with billions of batteries present in millions of electric vehicles and energy storage systems, these problems are statistically inevitable. Therefore, we should not pretend that risk can be eliminated by design, but rather that the sources of risk must be eliminated. Liquid electrolytes are discussed further below (#3) and lithium compatibility (#5), as well as new risks such as hydrogen sulfide (#8). Summary: Security remains a top concern, so we need to keep talking about it.

 

  • Pressure – An often overlooked issue People seem to think that solid electrolytes require a pressure system. Eminent scientists say the solid-state problem has been solved in the laboratory and now it’s up to engineers to design a pressure system. Indeed, it has been shown that lithium metal deposition can be enhanced by increasing pressure. But while some pressure can be easily integrated (e.g., vacuum on a vacuum-sealed bag), for many solid-state batteries the high voltages required remain impractical for practical applications. The high voltage is used to overcome interfacial resistance, especially for oxides and sulfides. Some solid-state polymers do not require pressure, but perhaps surprisingly, hybrid and semi-solid batteries require high voltages. If high voltage is required, the problem is compounded by changes in volume of the battery as it charges and discharges, heats and cools. There is a lack of transparency into this complex issue, as pressuring the system can add significant expense and quality. Quoting improved energy density is inappropriate without acknowledging additional pressure systems. QuantumScape recently provided energy density data “unpackaged” to give it some credit. Maybe a bit cryptic, but this suggests the battery needs more content to run. Summary: Operating pressure is often ignored in performance claims, but it has important implications for energy density, cost, and scalability. (See the next topic for information on scalability).

 

  • Liquid – Does a solid have to be a true solid? This topic is crucial because liquids can cause issues with safety and pressure (#1&2 above) as well as temperature range (#4 below). Many products are called solid state because the separator is a solid electrolyte. The inactive porous polymer separator is replaced by an active solid-state electrolyte that excels in both mechanical strength and ionic conductivity. It maintains electrode spacing, resists dendrites (see Topic #5) and transports lithium ions. But the cathode also requires an electrolyte (unless a very thin film cathode is used), and if this electrolyte is a liquid or gel, then we need to evaluate safety risks and performance issues. The risks of liquid electrolytes are explained in Topic #1. Topic #4 explains how liquids can limit temperature range and reduce cycle life. Additionally, if high pressure is required, the liquid will limit scalability. The airtight bag can be easily sealed under vacuum to incorporate 1 atmosphere of pressure, but if there is liquid to flow, then adding high pressure evenly throughout the battery will be problematic. This is a scalability barrier that cannot be easily solved with solid-state electrolytes. During processing, the ceramic needs to be sintered and the sulfide requires huge pressure (500 bar), which is possible for the separator but not for the positive electrolyte. In contrast, solid polymers can work simultaneously as separators and catholytes only if their ionic conductivity is comparable to that of conventional liquid electrolytes. Summary: Whether we call it solid, semi-solid, or hybrid, using any liquid electrolyte introduces the risk of thermal runaway, limits the temperature range, and inhibits scalability through high voltages.

 

  • Temperature range – is it clear enough? Solid-state batteries should offer higher temperature adaptability than liquid electrolyte batteries, that is, without the need for cooling systems. Liquid electrolyte becomes unstable above 40°C and accelerates the degradation of the positive electrode. If semi-solid or hybrid batteries require cooling systems, this will impact energy density and cost. A simple way to check is to test whether the data covers the range of 40°C to 80°C. 80°C is a useful benchmark because it is above surface temperatures on the hottest days. This means an electric car can be parked in the sun without draining the battery’s cooling system! Please check the data carefully, sometimes the high temperature statement may not include the entire battery for the separator electrolyte. Some solid polymer electrolytes have the opposite problem in that they must be heated before the ions can conduct electricity, usually between 50-80°C. This would also increase cost, reduce the energy density of the system, and be impractical for general use. Summary: Solid-state batteries should operate over a wide temperature range without the need for external systems that would otherwise be recognized in energy density and cost claims.

 

  • Lithium compatibility and dendrites in order to increase energy density, the electrolyte needs to work stably with lithium metal and high-energy cathode, otherwise the energy density improvement will be minimal. Developers of various solid-state batteries have experimented with lithium metal and then moved to graphite or silicon. This indicates incompatibility with lithium metal, although one company claims that lithium metal is unsafe, which could also be interpreted as being incompatible with their solid electrolytes. Another unresolved debate is the best solution to who owns the dendrites. Ceramics and sulfides are very hard, but have grain boundaries and are prone to brittleness. Polymers have been accused of being too weak, but some companies disagree. Cycle life and millions of tests will provide the answer, but as mentioned above, failure is statistically inevitable, so the debate once again turns to how to eliminate the possibility of thermal runaway. Summary: Highly stable and mechanically strong solid-state electrolytes are needed to increase energy density.

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  • Layer Thickness – Often Not Mentioned High energy density requires a thin separator equivalent to current li ion customized battery packs, an even thinner anode, and a cathode at least as thick as current li ion customized battery packs. Taking actual numbers as an example: the separator is in the 20-30µm range, thin lithium is less than 40µm, and the cathode is at least 80µm. Why? If not, simple math proves that batteries can’t achieve higher energy densities. There are some innovative 3D technologies that developers may disagree with, but they also need to respond to scalability and processability issues (see Topic #10). Reasons why layer thickness is often not mentioned include that thin ceramic separators are very fragile, reducing thickness makes it difficult to extend the cycle life of lithium, and penetration of thick cathodes through solid electrolytes is often difficult, often requiring liquid. Summary: Higher energy density requires a thinner negative electrode and a thin separator to match the thick positive electrode.

 

  • Cycle Life and C-Rate – Battery Performance For many developers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), long battery life and fast charging are top topics as it promises longer range and shorter battery life for electric vehicles. parking time. It’s what everyone wants to hear and therefore becomes the target of propaganda. Long cycle life and high C rate can be achieved, but usually at the expense of each other, which is often not explained in detail. As mentioned above, layer thickness or pressure requirements may not be stated. Most readers have come to understand that, typically, long cycle life is typically achieved at low C rates, while high C rates often come at the expense of cycle life. Sometimes the fine print terms will qualify long life with a high C rate in cycles 1-10 or 1-30, while other cycles will go in with a low C rate. Solid-state batteries should eventually offer really long life and fast charging. One reason is the ability to operate stably at higher temperatures, thus accommodating faster power transfer, but this requires a highly stable solid-state electrolyte in the battery. Another reason is that charging speed is limited by the rate of intercalation reactions, a limitation that is eliminated when using lithium metal. Summary: Dramatic cycle life and C rates are closely publicized but are often opaque and further distract from the fact that the actual fundamentals are not achieved.

 

  • Risks introduced the primary goal is to improve safety, but some “solutions” reduce one risk and then increase another. It is important to remember that failures and accidents are inevitable, so we need to check whether the failure mode is “fail-safe” or not. Adding huge amounts of pressure means containing an unexpected release of energy. The use of certain liquid electrolytes retains the risk of thermal runaway. At least one company claims that using lithium metal is dangerous, but using ultra-thin lithium could mitigate this risk. Using sulfide introduces new hydrogen sulfide risks due to moisture sensitivity. Summary: The key to reducing risk is to have a highly stable solid electrolyte throughout the battery, allowing it to operate over a wide temperature range.

 

  • Packaging and Demonstration Cells Packaging has already been mentioned regarding pressure (Topic #2) and requires further analysis as this is one of the most opaque issues. Gorgeous pictures of giant display batteries have one thing in common – a real operating system that requires pressure, cooling, heating or contains risks such as hydrogen sulfide is never shown. Or, there are animations that show certain obvious advantages, but don’t show the whole story. Or there are some very realistic pictures without any mention that they are renderings.

 

  • Scalable Process – Tiny Wearables and Cost Every startup has an obligation to say “our technology is easily scalable”. Without specific figures and timetable, this statement is somewhat empty. Some companies have developed solid-state battery technology for the tiny wearables market, and then implicitly scalable it for the electric vehicle and renewable energy markets. Most tiny solid-state batteries are made of ceramic, but this is not easily scalable. Novel architectures and processes, such as 3D or printing, should not be put in the same context as JICA-scale lithium-ion batteries that took decades to develop. Solid-state batteries need to reduce costs to make electric vehicles and renewable energy affordable. New processes will not reduce costs until they have been developed for a decade. Adding external systems does not reduce costs. Ceramics need to be sintered. Sulfide requires large-scale pressure during its production. Hybrid batteries require “special protective coatings” to reduce risk. All of this adds to costs. The goal is to reduce costs. Processing should use standard R2R processes. It is widely accepted that solid polymer electrolytes are the simplest to manufacture and easiest to adapt to existing processes and cell structures. Summary: The standard R2R process combined with fewer product materials (no active separator, no cathode host, no liquid) provides cost reduction incentives. Summary Solid-state technology has made tremendous advances that will ultimately provide improved safety and higher performance at lower cost. But solid-state battery developers need to openly address these issues to launch viable products for the real world. Reduce risk, eliminate the need for external pressure systems, increase energy density and use existing R2R production to produce commercial-scale batteries. While there’s still a lot of work to be done, and of course I’m biased, I think Nuvvon is the only solid-state battery technology provider to date that can do it all.

Nuvvon:

Completely solid state, therefore reducing the risk of thermal runaway

Operates without external pressure system

Solid polymer as separator electrolyte and positive electrolyte – no liquid or gel particles

Wide temperature range (currently -10 to +80°C)

Compatible with thin lithium and has high mechanical strength to resist dendrites

Layer thickness: thin lithium anode (currently 20 microns), thin separator (20-30 microns), thick cathode (80-150 microns)

The cycle life and C rate of thin lithium at C/4 are still a work in progress, with cycle life in the range of several hundred cycles

No new risks (no pressure, no liquids, no harmful ingredients)

Bare cells operate without external systems (pressure, heating, cooling)

Pouch cells using existing battery architecture and built on standard li ion customized battery packs processes.

Author Dr. Simon Madgwick of Nuvvon Inchttps://www.batterydesign.net

 

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us:

  • Name: Dawn Zeng (Director)
  • E-mail address: sales@himaxelectronics.com
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5 key ways to improve lithium-ion batteries

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Current li ion customized battery packs, which use graphite anodes, liquid electrolytes, and cathode materials such as NMC and LFP, are generally considered to be approaching their performance limits. However, there are still ways to further improve performance and reduce costs, from battery pack materials to battery pack design.

Moving from graphite to silicon

Silicon anodes offer an exciting alternative that can significantly increase energy density and performance. Although silicon materials have only been used in negative electrodes at a weight ratio of less than 5% in the past, it has been difficult to go beyond its use as an additive due to its inherent volume expansion and the resulting stability and cycle life issues. However, silicon anode technology has continued to improve over the past 10-15 years, allowing batteries to use 5-100% silicon in the anode.

It’s exciting to see silicon anode technology continue to evolve in 2022, including Nexeon raising $200 million in funding and licensing materials to SKC, Amprius deciding to go public, Group14 Technologies raising $400 million, and POSCO Holdings acquiring Tera Technos. In addition, Amprius has delivered 450Wh/kg commercial batteries for satellites, while the Whoop 4.0 fitness wearable device released in September 2021 uses Sila Nano’s silicon anode technology. Taken together, these developments indicate that the silicon anode market is increasingly maturing, and the adoption of advanced silicon anode materials in a variety of applications is becoming increasingly possible. As a result, IDTechEx predicts that the adoption of silicon anode materials will grow significantly, although graphite is expected to remain dominant until the 2030s.

 

New method of cathode synthesis

Future li ion customized battery packs may use a similar set of cathode materials that are commercially available today. LNMOs or LFP-related LMFPs may be considered exceptions, although neither of them offer improvements in energy density but offer different trade-offs between high performance and low cost. Lithium-rich manganese-based cathodes may offer modest increases in energy density, but commercial development has been limited and slow. Improvements in cathode materials will generally be incremental. Instead, the biggest changes in cathode technology and innovation may come from how they are synthesized. Current synthesis techniques require higher temperatures and relatively long times (days) while using large amounts of reagents and water, resulting in high production costs and environmental impact. Nano One Materials and 6K Energy (part of 6K Inc) are two companies aiming to commercialize new cathode material synthesis methods.

Nano One Materials uses a solution-based “one-pot” process to produce coated cathode materials. The company partnered with cathode manufacturer Pulead and reached a development agreement with BASF in early 2022. 6K Energy uses microwave plasma reactors to produce their cathode materials, and they can also synthesize silicon anode and solid electrolyte materials. 6K Inc completed a $102 million Series D round in May 2022 and struck a development deal with lithium producer Albemarle and fellow cathode startup Our Next Energy. Nano One Materials and 6K Energy both promise to provide streamlined production processes to increase capacity, yield and reduce production costs while reducing environmental impact.

14.8v-2500mAh Li Ion Customized Battery Packs

Solid electrolytes and new electrolyte formulations

While solid electrolytes attract a lot of attention in electrolyte technology, the use of new additives and electrolyte formulations can continue to provide incremental improvements to liquid electrolyte systems. For example, New Dominion Enterprises is developing electrolyte additives and solvents based on phosphorus nitrogen compounds to help improve safety and performance. Specifically, their electrolyte additive materials can increase thermal stability, reduce vapor pressure, and improve solid electrolyte/electrode interface (SEI) formation. Longer term, the company aims to completely replace traditional organic solvents with their electrolyte system, potentially significantly improving safety.

However, the holy grail of battery technology for many electric car makers remains solid-state batteries, which can significantly improve safety by replacing the flammable liquid electrolytes currently used with solid electrolytes. In addition, solid-state electrolytes also offer the potential for the use of lithium metal anodes, which can push energy density to more than 1000 Wh/l. The solid-state battery market is expected to grow to more than $8 billion by 2031, and liquid electrolytes will remain an important part of the market. Challenges regarding the stability, cycle life, manufacturability, and even safety of solid-state electrolyte systems mean that competition between different electrolyte systems continues.

Space efficient battery pack

Particularly for electric vehicles, battery pack design provides another key avenue for enhanced performance. Many automotive companies have announced the adoption of battery cell assembly designs to eliminate materials associated with module housings and optimize packaging efficiency, ultimately increasing energy density and improving battery integration into vehicles. BYD advertises that it can increase volume utilization by 40% to 60% in this way, while battery manufacturer CATL announced that their latest battery cell assembly design can achieve a volume utilization of 72%. Back in early 2022, CATL announced that their LFP battery packs could reach 160 Wh/kg and 290 Wh/l, which started to compete with their NMC rivals. Maximizing energy density helps alleviate the major shortcomings of cheaper LFP batteries, providing a way to create cheaper batteries with longer range. The disadvantage of these types of battery designs is reduced serviceability, which may limit their use in commercial vehicles.

Smarter battery management system

Improvements in battery management systems (BMS) can provide a way to improve many aspects of battery performance without facing the challenges of materials development. For example, Qnovo emphasizes that their BMS software and analytics can simultaneously improve safety, cycle life, charging time and battery usable capacity. The company uses a combination of battery usage data and battery impedance measurements to develop physical models of li ion customized battery packs, which are then used to optimize operating and charging protocols. Another use case for their BMS solution could stem from battery failure detection, which could be extremely valuable given recent electric vehicle recalls.

Outside the field of electric vehicles, improved BMS will also be very valuable for other end applications, such as smartphones or power tools. OnePlus 10T’s advertised 1-100% charging in 19 minutes is partly achieved by a smarter charging algorithm and more efficient thermal management. In addition to fast charging capabilities, OnePlus also advertises a life of 1,600 charge and discharge cycles, which is beyond the cycle life typically advertised for LCO and consumer electronics batteries. While battery development often involves trade-offs between key performance characteristics such as energy density, cycle life, fast charging and safety, improvements to the BMS can feasibly provide improvements in all of these performance characteristics.

Ultimately, there are many avenues to improve battery performance and reduce costs, including various others not discussed here. While some developments may provide only incremental benefits, their combination will allow li ion customized battery packs performance to continue its steady advance.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us:

  • Name: Dawn Zeng (Director)
  • E-mail address: sales@himaxelectronics.com

Source:

https://www.idtechex.com/en/research-article/5-key-routes-to-better-li-ion-batteries/27514

The second technical route of lithium batteries

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Custom lithium battery pack innovation is not easy.

In the past decade or so, Custom lithium battery pack industrialization has developed rapidly and production capacity has increased by leaps and bounds. However, there have been few revolutionary breakthroughs in lithium battery technology.

In terms of material system, lithium iron phosphate and ternary are still dominant; in terms of structural system, square, cylindrical and soft packages are still dominant.

In the final analysis, there are many constraints on lithium battery innovation, and factors such as cost, safety, energy density, cycle times, temperature performance and even resource security need to be taken into consideration at the same time.

In the context of difficult innovation, the lithium battery industry has also carried out various explorations in recent years, including cobalt-free, high-nickel, solid-state, composite current collectors, lithium iron manganese phosphate and even sodium-ion batteries that are free of lithium resources in terms of material systems. Short knives, blades, 4680 large cylinders, and high-speed lamination from manufacturing process angles, etc.

Regarding the mature material system and structural system, from the perspective of industrialization, penetration rate and industrial impact, among the technological innovations in recent years, which technical route is more prominent? Who can be called the second technical line?

This is a topic worth taking stock of.

What is The second technical route?

Comprehensive comparison shows that lamination technology innovation is more prominent.

The lamination process has the characteristics of higher energy density, more stable internal structure, longer cycle life, and safer. It is not only very suitable for long and thin battery cells, but also has a higher degree of compatibility with large-capacity battery cells.

The winding process that once dominated the mainstream has many bending areas and current collector welding areas, low internal space utilization, and uneven winding tension and deformation, especially in long thin and large capacity applications. The disadvantages are more obvious under the trend.

In recent years, Honeycomb Energy has taken the lead in applying lamination technology to square batteries, replacing the winding process and solving the problem of low efficiency of traditional lamination equipment. High-speed lamination technology has been continuously iterated for 3 generations, with efficiency and yield rates continuously improving, and costs increasing. The “flying stack” speed of the third-generation technology has reached 0.125 seconds/piece, achieving the same efficiency as the winding process.

Lamination technology has also encountered a “historic opportunity”. With the rapid development of power batteries and energy storage batteries, the requirements for prismatic batteries and blade batteries are constantly increasing. The advantages of lamination technology in supporting and promoting the innovation of prismatic batteries and blade batteries are also increasing. It’s becoming more and more obvious.

As a leader and staunch supporter of lamination technology, Honeycomb Energy has fully adopted lamination technology since the company was founded. As of the end of 2022, the production capacity of the lamination process has reached 15.6GWh, and it is mainly high-speed lamination. It will continue to expand with the implementation of planned production capacity.

 

Nowadays, lamination technology is accelerating its promotion and fully penetrated.

At present, the leading lithium battery companies have adopted lamination technology to varying degrees and have all entered the market. Especially in large-capacity square, blade and soft-pack batteries, lamination technology has become a trend or even a must.

Judging from the results, compared with other technological innovations in recent years, the innovative iteration and industrialization effect of lamination technology are more prominent. Leading companies have made plans one after another, and the penetration rate continues to increase.

Custom lithium battery pack  innovation is “blooming”. From the perspective of industrialization and penetration, the lamination technology that is constantly iterating in process innovation has opened up a new world beyond traditional winding technology and has become the well-deserved “second technology route” of lithium battery. .

The platform effect of stacking technology is prominent

Stack technology is more like a process platform.

On this platform, it is compatible with different material systems such as ternary, lithium iron phosphate and even solid-state batteries and semi-solid batteries, as well as different structural systems such as square, blade and soft pack.

Therefore, lamination technology has a strong industrial amplification effect and is of great value in promoting the technological progress and industrial development of the lithium battery industry.

Especially in the blade battery, it can be said to be a “perfect match” and “mutual achievement” with the lamination technology. Without the lamination technology, it would be difficult for the “long and thin” blade battery to shine. After all, the winding technology has “winding technology”. “around” the limit.

The same is true not only for blade batteries, but also for prismatic batteries, especially larger models. With the development of the energy storage industry, prismatic batteries continue to “expand”, from the previously popular 280Ah to today’s 300Ah+, lamination technology can support the larger size of prismatic batteries.

12V 300Ah Custom Lithium Battery Pack

For soft-pack batteries, lamination technology is a natural “perfect match” and can bring greater packaging advantages, especially when combined with emerging semi-solid-state batteries and solid-state batteries, the advantages are even more obvious.

Lamination technology has stimulated innovation at the cell level in large-capacity prismatic batteries, blade batteries, and soft-pack batteries. It is also very helpful in promoting innovation in battery packs. Even CTP and CTC can achieve better integration effects at the system level.

As a platform technology, lamination technology has brought lithium battery structural innovation to a new level, inspiring innovation at the prismatic battery, blade battery, pouch battery and even battery system level, leading the innovation of a new generation of lithium battery technology, with huge flexibility, the industry has far-reaching impact.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us:

  • Name: Dawn Zeng (Director)
  • E-mail address: sales@himaxelectronics.com
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The impact of moisture during the manufacturing process of lithium batteries

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In the manufacturing process of li ion customized battery packs, there are three very critical items that must be strictly controlled: first, dust; second, metal particles; and third, moisture.

Failure to control dust and metal particles will directly lead to safety accidents such as internal short circuits and fires in the battery; and if moisture is not effectively controlled, it will also cause great harm to battery performance and lead to serious quality accidents!

Therefore, it is very critical to control the water content of main materials such as pole pieces, diaphragms, and electrolytes in the manufacturing process. We must not relax at all and must always work hard!

The following is a detailed explanation from three aspects: the harm of moisture to lithium batteries, the source of moisture in the manufacturing process, and the control of moisture in the manufacturing process.

  • The harm of moisture to li ion customized battery packs

  1. Battery bulges and leaks

If there is too much moisture in the lithium-ion battery, it will react chemically with the lithium salt in the electrolyte to generate HF:

H2O + LiPF6 → POF3 + LiF + 2HF

Hydrofluoric acid (HF) is a very corrosive acid that is very destructive to battery performance:

HF will corrode the metal parts, battery casing, and seals inside the battery, causing the battery to eventually break and leak.

HF will destroy the SEI film (Solid-Electrolyte-Interface in English) inside the battery and will react with the main components of the SEI film:

ROCO2Li + HF → ROCO2H + LiF

Li2CO3 + 2HF → H2CO3 + 2LiF

Finally, LiF precipitates inside the battery, causing lithium ions to undergo an irreversible chemical reaction on the negative electrode of the battery, consuming active lithium ions and reducing the energy of the battery.

When there is enough water, a lot of gas will be produced, and the pressure inside the battery will increase, causing the battery to deform due to stress, leading to dangers such as battery swelling and leakage.

Most of the bulging batteries and open covers of mobile phones or digital electronic products encountered during use on the market are caused by high moisture inside the lithium battery and gas production.

18650 Li Ion Customized Battery Packs

  1. The internal resistance of the li ion customized battery packs increases

The internal resistance of the battery is one of the most important performance parameters of the battery. It is the main indicator of the difficulty of transmitting ions and electrons inside the battery, and directly affects the cycle life and operating status of the battery. The smaller the internal resistance, the better the battery is when it is discharged. The less voltage it takes up, the more energy it outputs.

When the water content increases, POF3 and LiF will precipitate on the surface of the battery’s SEI membrane (Solid-Electrolyte-Interface), destroying the density and uniformity of the SEI membrane, causing the internal resistance of the battery to gradually increase., the battery’s discharge capacity continues to decrease.

  1. Reduced cycle life

Excessive water content destroys the SEI film of the battery, the internal resistance gradually increases, the discharge capacity of the battery becomes smaller and smaller, the battery usage time becomes shorter and shorter after each full charge, and the number of charges and discharges that the battery can be used normally (Cycles) will naturally become less, and the battery life (life) will also be shortened.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us:

  • Name: Dawn Zeng (Director)
  • E-mail address: sales@himaxelectronics.com
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Why are lithium batteries flammable and explosive? How should it be used safely?

12v 8ah AGM replacement battery Battery

With the continuous development of lithium battery technology, Custom lithium battery pack is widely used in many fields such as consumer electronics, electric bicycles and other mobile products, electric vehicles and energy storage solutions.

However, if there is insufficient safety awareness and improper handling during use, storage, disposal, etc.,  Custom lithium battery pack will become a “ticking time bomb.”

Generally speaking, the safety problems of lithium-ion batteries mainly manifest themselves as combustion or even explosion.

Lithium batteries are both flammable materials and sources of ignition. Once collision, extrusion, overcharge, short circuit, etc. occur, it can easily cause fires, explosions and other safety accidents, resulting in casualties.

The root cause of these problems lies in thermal runaway inside the battery.

After the thermal runaway of the lithium-ion battery, the decomposed flammable gas mixes with air to form an explosive mixed gas. When encountering the high-temperature particles ejected from the lithium battery, deflagration will occur in a local space, resulting in an explosion sound in the early stages of a fire.

The characteristics of custom lithium battery pack fires: fast ignition, long duration, high combustion temperature, difficulty in extinguishing, spontaneous combustion or even explosion for a long time.

Causes of lithium battery fire and explosion

Lithium batteries mainly rely on the movement of lithium ions between the positive and negative electrodes to achieve the charging and discharging process. From a principle point of view, the main factors that cause lithium battery explosions are overcharging and short circuits.

Overcharging mainly occurs during the charging process of lithium batteries. Due to the resistance of the battery, the battery will accumulate a large amount of heat during the charging process. The protection device in lithium batteries can provide a certain degree of protection against overcharge by detecting voltage.

However, when the overcharge time is too long and the voltage continues to be too high, dendritic short circuits are likely to occur inside the lithium-ion battery, causing the temperature and pressure of the lithium battery to continue to rise, resulting in the risk of explosion and fire.

Short circuit mainly occurs during the use of lithium batteries. When the lithium battery is in use, its own temperature will continue to rise, and the battery also maintains normal heat dissipation.

If the battery temperature is too high due to external factors, it will easily cause damage to the battery separator and cause a short circuit, which will cause excessive internal heat accumulation, trigger a chain chemical reaction, and cause the battery to explode and burn.

According to statistics from the emergency management department, in the first quarter of 2023 alone, the spontaneous combustion rate of new energy vehicles increased by 32%, with an average of 8 new energy vehicles catching fire (including spontaneous combustion) every day.

Custom Lithium Battery Pack 3.7V 45Ah

Lithium battery safety tips

Purchase regular and qualified lithium battery products and tools.

When lithium battery products and tools are not in use, try to remove the batteries and store them separately.

Li ion customized battery packs should avoid being stored in humid, high-temperature locations, and should be kept away from flammable and combustible materials.

After the lithium battery is fully charged, the power supply should be disconnected promptly and do not be charged continuously for a long time.

Do not squeeze or drop lithium battery products and tools during daily use.

Lithium battery fire fighting tools

When a lithium battery catches fire, a dry powder fire extinguisher can only extinguish the surrounding flames, but cannot effectively prevent the lithium battery from thermal runaway. Water or water-based fire extinguishers are the first choice for emergency response to lithium battery fires.

The basic principle of dry powder fire extinguisher is chemical suppression. It can generally extinguish solid fires, and can also extinguish incipient fires of flammable liquids, combustible gases and electrical equipment. Although dry powder fire extinguishers can extinguish open flames under initial circumstances, dry powder fire extinguishers cannot reduce the temperature inside lithium batteries. At this time, the internal temperature of the lithium battery is still very high, and the internal chemical reaction continues. After the heat is accumulated, it is easy to reignite or even explode.

Water/water-based fire extinguishers can not only eliminate open flames, but also have a certain cooling effect, so they are the first choice for emergency treatment of lithium battery pack fires.

Key points: The method of extinguishing fires with water/water-based fire extinguishers is suitable for lithium batteries with relatively low voltage, because there is no risk of electric shock. If a lithium battery plugged into AC catches fire, be sure to unplug the power before watering. Otherwise, there will not only be a risk of electric shock, but also a secondary fire caused by the electrolysis of water by 220V AC.

Lithium battery fire fighting

  1. Disconnect or remove external power from the fire equipment.
  2. Immediately and continuously saturate the electronic device on fire with water or other non-flammable liquid to lower the temperature of the lithium battery cell core, block heat dissipation, and prevent adjacent battery cells from catching fire.
  3. If the device was previously connected to an electrical outlet, unplug the power from all remaining electrical outlets until the system is confirmed to be fault-free.
  4. Do not attempt to move burning or smoking electronic equipment to prevent serious personal injury.
  5. Do not cover or attempt to lower the temperature with ice. This method of isolating the equipment will prevent the heat from being dissipated in a short period of time, which in turn increases the risk.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us:

  • Name: Dawn Zeng (Director)
  • E-mail address: sales@himaxelectronics.com

Four major application scenarios of PPS in the field of new energy vehicles

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As we all know, some new energy vehicles needs to be equipped with custom lithium battery pack. Let me introduce four major application scenarios of PPS in the field of new energy vehicles.

Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) is an aromatic semi-crystalline special polymer. According to Market.US estimates, the global PPS market will exceed US$1.4 billion in 2022, of which automotive applications will account for more than 34%. By 2032 , the market size is predicted to reach US$3.3 billion, with the Asia-Pacific market share accounting for over 40% of the global market.

PPS has good thermal oxygen aging resistance and can ensure the stability of mechanical strength at extremely high temperatures. Parts made with PPS can work for a long time in harsh temperature environments without failure. It is an important polymer material in the field of new energy vehicles.The application scenarios of PPS in the area of new energy vehicles include explosion-proof custom lithium battery pack covers, busbars and terminal connectors in motor electric drive devices, electronic water pumps, electronic oil pumps, etc.

PPS special material application scenario 1: pole gasket on explosion-proof battery cover

The custom lithium battery pack explosion-proof cover has two functions. The first is to ensure stable charging and discharging – the resistance value is stable within the operating temperature range. In addition, safety needs to be ensured – the battery will fail due to high temperature, the custom lithium battery pack cover will rupture, and the pressure will be released to prevent explosion. PPS material is mainly used for plastic sheets on the positive and negative electrodes of custom lithium battery pack explosion-proof covers.

Custom Lithium Battery Pack 12V

Explosion-proof battery cover has overall requirements for pole gaskets:

  1. Excellent chemical resistance, especially corrosion resistance from battery pack fluid.
  2. Good bonding force between plastic and metal – the bonding force between aluminum pole and plastic is strong and stable;
  3. The thermal expansion coefficients of aluminum poles and plastics are close to each other.

Considering the above factors, PPS is the most suitable material for pole gaskets.

Positive post gasket (conductive PPS) functional requirements:

  • The resistance value is 10-10000 ohms. The smaller the resistance value fluctuation range, the better.
  • The pole will not sink during the laser welding process. The surface of the product does not bulge or collapse.
  • High and low temperature tests, the product does not crack.

Negative pole gasket (conductive PPS) functional requirements:

  • Withstand voltage value>1500V.
  • The pole will not sink during the laser welding process. The surface of the product does not bulge or collapse.
  • High and low temperature tests, the product does not crack.

PPS special material application scenario 2: electric drive system

The drive motor converts the battery’s electrical energy into mechanical energy and is the direct source of vehicle power. It mainly consists of a stator, a rotor, a casing, a connector, a resolver, etc. The key points of motor technology are the stator and the rotor.

Among them, connectors, stators, rotors and other components are the “specialties” of PPS modified plastics. In addition, the most critical core module of the inverter in the electronic control system: IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) will also use PPS materials.

PPS has excellent comprehensive properties such as high mechanical strength, high temperature resistance, high flame retardancy, strong chemical resistance, flame retardancy, high crystallinity, good thermal stability, high mechanical strength, and excellent electrical properties, so many components can Saw PPS.

Specific application scenarios: copper busbar, BUSBAR, etc.

Specific application scenarios:

  • AC/DC bus
  • Motor terminal connector

Specific application scenario: IGBT module housing

Due to the long verification cycle and high technical and reliability requirements for automotive-grade IGBT modules, selecting appropriate IGBT module materials is also a critical step.

The electronic water pump consists of a pump casing, an impeller, a sealing ring, a motor casing, an electrical plug, a motor assembly, a bearing, a rotor, a controller, a controller base, a back cover, and fixing bolts.

The water pump casing is required to have strong bonding strength with metal, antifreeze resistance, high strength, high welding line strength (to avoid product cracking during storage), hydrolysis resistance, and the use of PPS material to meet its material requirements, injection molding, easy processing, and structural stability. Strong and not easily deformed.

The water pump impeller is made of PPS injection molding, which is characterized by high strength, flame retardant and high temperature resistance, high toughness, dimensional stability, and long service life. The water pump rotor is molded by PPS injection molding, which has the characteristics of high wear resistance and high strength.

Specific applications: electronic water pump housing, electronic water pump waterproof sleeve, electronic water pump impeller

Electronic water pump housing

The electronic water pump housing is constantly exposed to coolant and thermal circulation, so to ensure excellent strength, its material must have low moisture absorption and heat resistance.

Electronic water pump waterproof sleeve

Strict dimensional control and excellent surface appearance are the most important features of electronic water pump waterproof sleeves. These properties allow the baffle to withstand mechanical stress and exposure to glycol.

Electronic water pump impeller

Electronic water pump impellers must have excellent dimensional control accuracy, low moisture absorption and high mechanical strength to be continuously exposed to 140°C coolant for up to 2,000 hours.

As the core product of new energy vehicle electric drive technology, electronic oil pumps are mainly used for cooling the drive motor system to meet the more precise temperature control needs of hybrid vehicles and pure electric vehicles.

Special PPS material solutions for electronic oil pumps need to meet the performance requirements of electronic oil pumps such as high and low temperature resistance, chemical corrosion resistance, hydrolysis resistance, and high dimensional stability.

Summarize

In summary, PPS is widely used as a structural polymer material due to its excellent high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, radiation resistance, flame retardancy, balanced physical and mechanical properties, excellent dimensional stability and excellent electrical properties. It has been successfully applied in new energy vehicles and other fields.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us:

  • Name: Dawn Zeng (Director)
  • E-mail address: sales@himaxelectronics.com
,

18650 lithium-ion battery pack production process

18650-Li-Ion-Battery-4000mah

Let me introduce 18650 lithium-ion battery pack production process

(1) Bake

  • Baking for 12 hours under constant temperature and vacuum degree of -0.09MPa, the important purpose is to dry the moisture of the battery.

 

(2) Liquid injection

  • The battery cell after vacuum baking is injected into the glove box filled with Ar gas, the amount of liquid injection is different according to the design of the 18650 lithium ion battery pack. The battery should be weighed before and after injection, the weight difference is the amount of liquid injection, so as to judge whether the amount of liquid injection is appropriate.

 

(3) Welding pole lug

  • The positive pole lug (aluminum bar) and negative pole lug (nickel bar) are respectively welded in the scraping position of the positive and negative pole plates by ultrasonic welding machine. Pay attention to prevent welding deviation, welding dislocation, virtual welding.

 

(4) Bottom welding

  • First put the insulation gasket into the steel shell, then put the wound core into the steel shell, and weld the negative lug to the bottom of the steel shell with a spot welding machine. Check the outer surface of the bottom of the steel shell, pick out the bad appearance of yellow, black, defects, and fire, and try to pull the pole ear. Pick the 18650 lithium ion battery pack that is not well welded, such as fire, virtual welding, and de-welding.

18650 7.4v 2s1p 2600mah li ion lithium kc

(5) Seal

  • The steel shell and cap of the 18650 lithium ion battery pack are spot-welded with a spot welding machine, and then the laser welding machine is used for continuous laser welding. Laser welding should ensure that the positioning is accurate, the welding part is clean. It is strictly prohibited to cause deformation or damage to the battery, after welding inspection, welding holes, fire and other bad batteries.

 

(6) Winding

  • The ion exchange film is placed on the winding needle horizontally, and the end of the winding needle is extended 2-5mm. The four corners of the pole film cannot be creased, the pole film cannot drop material, the adhesive tape is slanted, the single-sided adhesive tape is too long, the double-sided adhesive tape is misaligned, the adhesive tape is not covered by the solder joint and other defects. The positive electrode material must hold the negative electrode material, the pole film cannot be rolled off, and the front end of the pole film must be inserted to the top.

 

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us:

Name: Dawn Zeng (Director)

E-mail address: sales@himaxelectronics.com

Lithium battery for fire protection facilities

18650 Li ion Battery 4400mah 10.8v

Li ion customized battery packs have the advantages of high voltage, large specific energy, repeated charge and discharge, no memory effect, and no pollution, so they are more suitable for use as backup power sources in fire-fighting equipment.

Fire power supply is an important part of fire equipment. For a fire protection system, if there is no reliable fire power supply, the fire protection equipment cannot be started, the fire shutters and fire doors in the fire protection zone cannot be in place, the smoke exhaust system, fire elevators, fire lighting, etc. cannot work properly. Therefore, reliable fire power supply is the guarantee for the normal operation of fire protection equipment and provides power for the operation of all fire protection facilities in the building.

Li Ion Customized Battery Packs

Usually, we will first choose 18650 lithium ion battery pack and 26650 li ion battery pack, also LiFePO4 32700 battery pack to make fire power supplies. Because these custom lithium battery pack have a wide range of capacity options and are small in size, they can be easily made into battery packs of different sizes to adapt to different fire-fighting facilities.

We have already manufactured different kind of li ion customized battery packs for our customer, like 18650 battery pack 14.8V 17.5Ah, LiFePO4 12.8V 18Ah battery.

HIMAX can make all kinds of custom lithium battery pack and 12v Lead Acid Replacement Battery for our customers. We have full of confidence to meet your quality level. Looking forward to build a long term business with you and we wait for your kind respond

Contact Himax now to unlock your exclusive battery customization options, Himax offers a wide range of options and flexible customization services to meet the needs of different users.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us:

  • Name: Dawn Zeng (Director)
  • E-mail address: sales@himaxelectronics.com
,

Li Ion Customized Battery Packs: Built for Individual Needs

LFP 6.4V

Li ion customized battery packs are designed to meet the needs of many devices whose battery packs have become a key component in the evolution of technology. Not only does it provide excellent performance, but it is also highly customizable, giving your device a whole new lease of life.

Customized to meet individual needs

The li ion customized battery packs are characterized by their highly personalized design. No matter how much power your device needs and how long it lasts, we can provide a battery pack that meets your needs. From miniature devices to large appliances, from smartphones to game consoles, our battery packs are easily adaptable. In addition, we also provide a variety of specifications of battery packs for you to choose, to meet your different needs.

High performance, long life

Li ion customized battery packs are made of high quality lithium-ion batteries with excellent energy density and long life. Our custom lithium battery pack undergo strict quality control and testing to ensure stable performance, safety and reliability. In addition, we offer an intelligent charge management system that can effectively extend battery life and reduce the risk of battery damage.

4S 14.8V Li Ion Customized Battery Packs

Safe design, worry-free use

Safety is the primary consideration of our products. Li ion customized battery pack is designed with fireproof materials and overheating protection to ensure that it will not cause any damage to the equipment in case of accidents. In addition, our battery packs are protected against overcharge, overdischarge and overcurrent to ensure the safety of the battery and equipment.

Fourth, fast delivery, quality service

We promise to deliver the battery pack to you in the shortest possible time. No matter where you are, as long as you need, we will be happy to serve you. In addition, we also provide high quality after-sales service, if you encounter any problems in the process of using, we will solve them as soon as possible.

All in all, li ion customized battery pack is a highly personalized battery pack that can meet your different usage needs, providing excellent performance and long life. Whether you are a professional or a regular user, we will provide you with the best service and product experience. Customize your own battery pack today and give your device a new lease of life!

 

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us:

  • Name: Dawn Zeng (Director)
  • E-mail address: sales@himaxelectronics.com

What is the main safety concern with lithium-ion batteries?

Himax Decorative Pictures - battery test

Are lithium batteries safe? Generally speaking, the problems of whether lithium batteries are safe are manifested as burning or even explosion. The root cause of these problems is the thermal runaway inside the battery. In addition, some external factors may also affect li ion customized battery packs and cause concerns about whether lithium batteries are safe, such as overcharging, fire, extrusion, puncture, short circuit, etc.

According to statistics, 68% of electric vehicle li ion customized battery packs fire accidents over the years were caused by internal or external short circuits, 15% were caused by charging and discharging, 7% were caused by accidental startup of equipment, and other reasons caused 10%.

From the perspective of the cause of the fire, electrical faults, and spontaneous combustion are the leading causes of fires in electric vehicles, while overcharging, battery cell failures, and short circuits in electrical circuits are the root causes of fires and bring the concern that our lithium batteries are safe.

48V Li Ion Customized Battery Packs

 

Which battery is the safest?

So, are li ion customized battery packs safe? The safety performance of lithium iron phosphate batteries will be higher than that of ternary lithium batteries. This is mainly because the heat resistance of lithium iron phosphate batteries is relatively good, and the thermal runaway temperature can reach more than 800℃.

The battery catches fire primarily due to factors such as short circuits, impact, and overcharging, which drives the concern of whether lithium batteries are safe. When the current passes through, a large amount of heat will appear in the overpotential and ohmic polarization, which will locally heat the battery to the temperature of the thermal decomposition of the cathode. The heat caused the battery to explode and catch fire.

The ignition point of the ternary lithium battery is only 200℃, and the ignition point of the lithium iron phosphate battery is 800℃. After an accident, the collision extrusion temperature can easily exceed the critical value.

In other words, lithium iron phosphate batteries will not spontaneously ignite if they do not reach 800℃. The ternary lithium battery is different. The thermal runaway temperature is basically around 200℃. Looking at the spontaneous combustion incidents of new energy vehicles, most of them are ternary lithium batteries. Therefore, for areas of hot weather, the risk of spontaneous combustion of ternary lithium batteries will be higher.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us:

  • Name: Dawn Zeng (Director)
  • E-mail address: sales@himaxelectronics.com