Top 6 Lithium battery types – Based on their cathode composition.

In daily life, lithium batteries are commonly used for more aspects. Many devices like mobile phones, laptops, and e-vehicles are does not operate without lithium batteries. When referring to a battery the term “lithium-ion” are either represented in full or abbreviated using the chemical symbols for the materials that make up the battery. A string of letters and numbers is used to easily identify the battery chemistries.

One of the most common Li-ions, lithium cobalt oxide, has the chemical symbol LiCoO2 and the acronym LCO. For simplicity’s sake, this battery can also be referred to by its abbreviation, Li-cobalt. The primary active component that gives this battery its personality is cobalt. Similar short-form designations are given to other Li-ion chemistries. Six of the most popular Li-ions are discussed in this article.

Types of lithium batteries

There are many types of lithium batteries. The 6 most used lithium battery types based on their cathode materials are discussed below.

1. Lithium cobalt oxide (LCO)
2. Lithium manganese oxide (LMO)
3. Lithium Nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC)
4. Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePo4 or LFP)
5. Lithium cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA)
6. Lithium Titanate oxide (LTO)

Lithium Cobalt Oxide(LiCoO2) — LCO

Li-cobalt is a common choice for cell phones, laptops, and digital cameras due to its high specific energy. A cobalt oxide cathode and a graphite carbon anode make up the battery. Lithium ions move from the anode to the cathode during discharge due to the cathode’s layered structure. On charging, the flow changes. Li-cobalt has a constrained range of load capabilities, a short life duration, and poor thermal stability (specific power).

Li-cobalt has a constrained range of load capabilities, a short life duration, and poor thermal stability (specific power). Li-cobalt batteries, like other cobalt-blended Li-ion batteries, have a graphite anode that reduces cycle life due to a shifting solid electrolyte interface (SEI), thickening on the anode, and lithium plating while fast charging and charging at low temperature.

Nickel, manganese, and/or aluminum are used in more recent systems to increase durability, loading capacity, and cost. It is not recommended to charge and discharge lithium-cobalt batteries at currents greater than their C ratings. 

Due to the expensive cost of cobalt and enhanced performance from blending with other active cathode materials, Li-cobalt is losing ground to Li-manganese, especially NMC and NCA.

Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide (LiNiCoAlO2) — NCA

Since 1999, lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide batteries, or NCAs, have been used for specialized purposes. It has a high specific energy, decent specific power, and long life duration, which are parallels to NMC. Cost and safety are less appealing. Lithium nickel oxide has been developed further into NCA, which adds aluminum to make the chemical more stable.

Lithium Manganese Oxide (LiMn2O4) — LMO

Lithium manganese oxide is used as the cathode material for the Li-ion cell that Moli Energy launched in 1996. The construction creates a three-dimensional spinel structure on the electrode to enhance ion flow, which lowers internal resistance and enhances current handling. High thermal stability and improved safety are further benefits of spinel, although its cycle and calendar lives are constrained.

Low internal cell resistance makes high-current discharging and quick charging possible. Power tools, medical equipment, as well as hybrid and electric cars, all use lithium manganese.

The capacity of lithium manganese is around one-third less than that of lithium cobalt. Engineers can maximize the battery for best durability (life span), maximum load current (specific power), or high capacity (specific energy) due to design flexibility. These days, pure Li-manganese batteries are uncommon and are only utilized in specific circumstances.

Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) — NMC

An effective Li-ion system uses nickel, manganese, and cobalt as the cathode (NMC). These systems can be customized to function as Energy Cells or Power Cells, similar to Li-manganese. Nickel and manganese together constitute the essence of NMC. An example of this is table salt, whose primary components, sodium and chloride, are harmful when consumed separately but act as a food preservative when combined.

Manganese has the advantage of developing a spinel structure to create low internal resistance but delivers low specific energy. Nickel is noted for its high specific energy but poor stability. The metal’s collective strengths are enhanced when combined.

Power tools, e-bikes, and other electric vehicles all use NMC batteries as their primary power source. The cathode combination, often known as 1-1-1, typically consists of one-third nickel, one-third manganese, and one-third cobalt.

Due to the lower cobalt percentage, this mix delivers a special benefit while also lowering the cost of raw materials. NCM, which consists of 5 parts nickel, 3 parts cobalt, and 2 parts manganese, is another effective combination (5-3-2). It is possible to create different combinations using different cathode material dosages.

Due to the high cost of cobalt, battery manufacturers are switching from cobalt systems to nickel cathodes. Compared to cobalt-based cells, nickel-based systems have a better energy density, lower cost, and longer cycle life, but a somewhat lower voltage.

Lithium Iron Phosphate(LiFePO4) — LFP

Li-phosphate has a low resistance and strong electrochemical performance. The main advantages include a high current rating, a long cycle life, strong thermal stability, increased safety, and abuse tolerance.

If sustained at high voltage for an extended period, lithium-phosphate is more resilient to full-charge circumstances and experiences less stress than other lithium-ion systems. Like most batteries, they perform worse in cold temperatures and last shorter at hotter storage temperatures.

Li-phosphate batteries have a higher self-discharge than conventional Li-ion batteries, which over time might lead to balancing problems. High-quality cell purchases and/or the use of advanced control electronics, both of which raise the price of the pack, can reduce this. For lifespan, production cleanliness is crucial. Moisture is not tolerated, or the battery will only operate for 50 cycles.

For starting batteries, lithium-phosphate is frequently used in place of lead acid. We’ll have to wait and see how long-lasting Li-Phosphate will be in comparison to lead acid in a typical automobile charging system. Li-ion batteries operate worse in cold temperatures, which, in some severe circumstances, may impede their ability to crank.

Lithium Titanate (Li2TiO3) — LTO

Since the 1980s, lithium titanate anodes have been used in batteries. In the anode of a conventional lithium-ion battery, lithium titanate takes the role of graphite and crystallizes into a spinel structure. Lithium manganese oxide or NMC can be used as the cathode.

Li-titanate batteries deliver a high discharge current of 10C, or 10 times the rated capacity, and have a nominal cell voltage of 2.40V. They can also be quickly charged. It is claimed that the cycle count is higher than that of a typical Li-ion. Li-titanate is secure, exhibits outstanding low-temperature discharge properties, and achieves an 80 percent capacity at -30°C (-22°F).

When fast charging and charging at low temperatures, LTO (commonly known as Li4Ti5O12) has benefits over the traditional cobalt-blended Li-ion with graphite anode in that it achieves zero-strain property, prevents SEI film formation, and prevents lithium plating.

The battery is pricey, but it also has higher thermal stability at high temperatures than conventional Li-ion systems. Electric drivetrains, UPS systems, and solar-powered street lighting are typical applications.