Fast-charging Li-ion battery touts longer life

Sony is introducing a new type of Li-ion battery that promises higher power and longer life than the performance of traditional alkaline batteries and Li-ion batteries currently on the market.

The promised performance improvement comes from the use of Olivine-type lithium iron phosphate as the cathode material, the first commercially available battery to use this particular substance. This new cathode material, in combination with Sony's proprietary particle design technology that minimizes electrical resistance to deliver high power output, has created a product that Sony claims has a high power density of 1800W/kg and extended life span of approximately 2,000 charge-discharge cycles. This new technology also takes advantage of cell structure design technology that Sony acquired while developing its "Fortelion series" of Li-ion secondary batteries.

Next-gen material
First patented in 1996 by John Goodenough and his team at the University of Texas, Olivine-type lithium iron phosphate (or LiFePO₄) was developed as a solution to the low discharge rate and short cycle life that came with other Li-ion cell structure technologies like lithium cobalt oxide and lithium manganese oxide. As a potential cathode, LiFePO₄ is a very stable material that many scientists believe can have numerous consumer applications from rechargeable batteries for products to usage in future iterations of electric vehicles. LiFePO₄'s olivine crystal structure features a crystal lattice deformation that is smaller than other battery structures, resulting in an improved electric discharge process. As a result, the cycle life of LiFePO₄ is extremely long and features characteristics that help it withstand oxidation and an acidic environment, gives the battery more electrolyte choice, and the battery performance subsequently is optimized. LiFePO₄ technology also demonstrates an excellent shelf life when not in use.

Another benefit of LiFePO₄ is that it is considered one of the 'safest' battery technologies. The cell structure of LiFePO₄ remains stable when placed under extreme high temperatures. It keeps its stability even at temperatures between 300°C to 500°C and can even withstand a maximum of 700°C. At these same temperatures, other lithium batteries, such as those made with cobalt, nickel or manganese, begin to disintegrate and can potentially explode under these extreme heat conditions.

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