Comparison between lead acid and lithium-ion from a chemical perspective

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【Brief Description】lead acid versus lithium-ion

When it comes to history, we have to say that lead acid is definitely the precursor of lithium-ion batteries. It was invented 1859 by French physician Gaston, due to its rechargeable feature and comparatively cheap cost, it becomes the primary and ruling rechargeable power system rapidly in electrical vehicles industries such as golf carts, marine, uninterrupptible power supplies (UPS), and forklifts.

The grid structure of the lead acid battery is made from a lead alloy, other metals are added to improve its electrical properties. The most common additives are antimony, calcium, tin and selenium. While the problem of grid oxidation led by the element Calcium when over-heated was still a pain. Nowadays, lead acid batteries manufacturers take doping agents such as selenium, cadmium, tin and arsenic to lower the content of antimony and calcium.

Even everyone knows that lead acid batteires are heavy and less durable, but they are still the first choice because it is so cheap. While if we evaluate lead acid batteries from a long-term perspective, we will see how quickly the lead acid batteries deteriorate with age. For example, when you get a new lead acid battery, at the primary time, it works very well and you may not even notice its tiny droping about capacity, but then it comes to 50% capacity, which means you have made this battery work a while and it is getting very old, and you start to feel shocked by its fading speed. If you applied this battery in industrial area such as forklifts, wow, you probably need to charge it more frequently than ever and the working time of your forklifts reduce a lot at the same time. And if you happen not to charge the battery in time, opps, "CRASH" occurs.

Lead acid batteries have advantages as well, some end users or businessmen prefer to get lead acid batteries because they don't have much requirement on operation frequency, they probably will only use the vehicle or equipment 5 times a month, thus for this situation, without doubts, the smart choice must be lead acid batteries.

Now it's upcoming youngster- lithium-ion batteries. The energy density of lithium-ion is typically twice that of the standard nickel-cadmium. Which means with smaller size and less weight, lithium-ion batteries can easily surpass the performances by lead acid batteries, and more important, lithium-ion batteries are way more durable than lead acid ones. If you look around people around you, you may see everyone's (lithium) cellphone and (lithium) laptop, today's electrical devices are much more durable than those in several years ago. In dustrial areas, lithium-ion batteries even have better performances, they are the favorite batteries when it comes to "operation at 24 hours * 7 days every week".

Lithium-ion batteries are not perfect and still growing and changing, they have drawbacks like they are more fragile and they usually show up with a pack - a integrated power system with battery management system - a protection circuit to control the voltage, current, temperature and etc.. And the verified charge/discharge rate still stops at 1C and 2C. Such as Jetspower industrial batteries still hold on to 1C, and can tolerate the operating temperature between -20 degrees to 55 degrees.

And the technology of lithium-ion batteries is still evolving, to handle with the fierce and extreme environment such the extremely low temperature and super long winters in Russia, Ukrain and UK, Germany, special lithium low-temperature batteries have been already invented and put into commercial use.

Lead acid, or Lithium-ion batteries? What do you think about?

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