Lithium-ion Battery: In-depth Understanding and Maintenance Tips

With the continuous progress of science and technology, electronic products have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Lithium-ion batteries, as the core energy source of these electronic products, are becoming more and more significant. Both of Lacros' ebikes use lithium-electronic batteries, so what exactly are lithium-ion batteries? And how do we maintain them? Next, let us together to explore this issue in depth.

The overview of lithium-ion batteries
Lithium-ion battery is a secondary battery, that can be charged and discharged. Its working principle is mainly through the migration of lithium ions between the positive and negative electrodes to realize the storage and release of electrical energy. Compared with other batteries, lithium-ion batteries have a higher energy density, longer service life, and lower self-discharge rate. These advantages make lithium-ion batteries not only used in electric bikes but also in many fields, such as cell phones, laptops, electric cars, etc., have been widely used.

The structure and principle of lithium-ion batteries
Lithium-ion batteries are mainly composed of positive electrodes, negative electrodes, electrolytes, diaphragms, and shells. Positive materials are usually lithium transition metal oxides, such as lithium cobaltate, lithium nickelate, etc.; negative materials are graphite-like carbon materials. When charging, lithium ions migrate from the positive electrode to the negative electrode; when discharging, lithium ions return from the negative electrode to the positive electrode. This is the working principle of lithium-ion batteries.

Lithium-ion battery maintenance methods
1. Correct charging: When charging lithium-ion batteries, the following principles should be followed: first, try to use the original charger for charging; second, avoid charging at too high or too low a temperature; and finally, when the battery power display is full, the charger should be removed in a timely manner. Both overcharging and undercharging may cause damage to the battery.

2. Regular discharge: Regular discharging of lithium-ion batteries helps to maintain battery performance. When not in use for a long period of time, they should be charged regularly to maintain their activity. Fully charging and discharging help to extend the life of the battery.

3. Avoid overuse: Excessive use of lithium-ion batteries over a long period of time will shorten their service life. Therefore, when using electronic products, you should reasonably allocate the time to use and avoid long-time continuous use. At the same time, reducing the number of charge/discharge cycles helps to extend the service life of the battery.

4. Control of storage environment: Unused lithium-ion batteries should be stored in a dry, cool place, and ensure that the battery charge is between 50% and 80%. High-temperature environment will accelerate the aging process of the battery, so avoid placing the battery in a high-temperature environment. At the same time, avoid placing the battery in an overly cold environment, as this may cause the battery to fail to charge or function properly.

5. Pay attention to the battery aging phenomenon: With the growth of the use of time, lithium-ion batteries may appear aging phenomena, such as reduced capacity, battery bulging, and so on. When these phenomena are found, the battery should be replaced in time to avoid potential safety problems. For batteries that have not been used for a long time, their status should be checked regularly and charged in time to maintain their activity.

6. Do not expose the lithium-ion battery to water or high humidity. If you need to clean the battery surface, wipe it with a dry cloth.

7. Don't put the lithium-ion battery in contact with metal objects to prevent short-circuiting or damage to the battery.

8. If you find any abnormalities in the lithium-ion battery (e.g., overheating, leakage, inability to charge, etc.), stop using the battery immediately and send it to a designated location for repair or replacement.

9. When using and storing lithium-ion batteries, keep them away from sources of ignition and hot objects to prevent fire or explosion.

10. When purchasing and using lithium-ion batteries, choose brands and models with quality assurance to ensure their safety and reliability. At the same time, understanding and complying with the relevant safety regulations and standards is crucial to the use and maintenance of lithium-ion batteries.

 

In addition to the above-mentioned ways to maintain lithium-ion batteries, the following are some practical tips:

1. Avoid deep discharging: Deep discharging will cause the lithium metal inside the battery to form crystals, which may damage the battery and shorten its service life. Therefore, when using lithium-ion batteries, deep discharge should be avoided as much as possible.

2. Avoid high-temperature environments: High-temperature environments accelerate the aging process of batteries. Therefore, when using and storing lithium-ion batteries, avoid high-temperature environments.

3. Avoid metal contact: metal objects in contact with lithium-ion batteries may lead to short-circuit or damage to the battery. Therefore, when using and storing lithium-ion batteries, you should avoid contacting them with metal objects.

4. Pay attention to the service life: Lithium-ion batteries have a limited service life, generally about 3-4years. Therefore, when using lithium-ion batteries, you should pay attention to their service life and replace the batteries in time.

5. Environmental protection treatment: After using the lithium-ion battery, it should be sent to the designated recycling location for environmental protection treatment. Incorrect disposal may cause harm to the environment and the human body.

6. Handle gently: When moving or carrying lithium-ion batteries, they should be handled gently to avoid violent vibration or impact, which may lead to damage to the internal structure of the battery or short circuit.

7. Regular inspection: In the course of use, the appearance of the lithium-ion battery should be checked regularly for any abnormalities, such as swelling, liquid leakage, etc. If any abnormalities are found, the battery should be immediately removed. If any abnormality is found, you should stop using the battery immediately and send it to the designated place for repair or replacement.

8. Pay attention to charging safety: when charging, you should use a regular matching charger, and pay attention to the safety performance and quality assurance of the charger. Avoid using poor quality or non-original chargers, which may lead to overcharging, overheating, or damage to the battery.

9. Keep dry: Lithium-ion batteries should be kept in a dry place and avoid being in a humid environment for a long time. Prolonged humidity may lead to internal short-circuit or corrosion of the battery.

10. Regular activation: For lithium-ion batteries that are not used for a long time, they should be activated regularly to maintain the activity of the battery. It can be activated by small current activation or regular charging.

 

The service life and performance of lithium-ion batteries are greatly affected by temperature, so the maintenance methods will be different in summer and winter.
Methods of maintaining lithium-ion batteries in summer:
1. Avoid high-temperature environment: the best temperature for lithium-ion batteries is -20-25 ℃, high-temperature environment will accelerate the aging and loss of the battery, and shorten the service life of the battery. Therefore, when using lithium-ion batteries in summer, you should try to avoid using them in high-temperature environments, such as prolonged exposure to the sun, placed next to high-temperature objects.

2. Regular charging: lithium-ion batteries have a low self-discharge rate, but not using them for a long time will also lead to natural battery discharge. Therefore, when using lithium-ion batteries in summer, they should be charged regularly, and it is recommended that they be charged at least once a month to keep the battery charge above 20%.

3. Avoid overcharging: overcharging will lead to battery heating, expansion, deformation, and even explosion, so it is necessary to control the charging time, and the general charging time is not more than 8 hours. It is recommended to use the original charger for charging to avoid the use of poor quality chargers leading to safety accidents.

4. Avoid contact with metal objects: metal objects in contact with lithium-ion batteries can lead to short circuits or damage to the battery, so avoid contact with metal objects, such as keys, coins, and so on.

5. Store in a dry environment: If the lithium-ion battery has not been used for a long time, it should be placed in a dry, cool, and ventilated place, avoiding humidity, high temperature, and direct sunlight.

The way to maintain lithium-ion batteries in winter:
1. Avoid low-temperature environment: the best temperature for lithium-ion batteries is -20-25 ℃, low-temperature environment will reduce the battery's charging and discharging performance and capacity, and shorten the service life of the battery. Therefore, when using lithium-ion batteries in winter, you should try to avoid using them in low-temperature environments, such as placing them in the cold outdoors for a long time.

2. Preheat the battery: When using lithium-ion batteries in low-temperature environments, you should preheat the battery first, either by using the original charger or by placing the battery in a warm room for a period of time, so that the battery temperature rises before use.

3. Keep the battery fully charged: If the temperature drops in winter, the lithium-ion battery's power will gradually decrease. Therefore, when using lithium-ion batteries in winter, you should keep the battery fully charged, and it is recommended that you charge it as you use it, and do not wait until the power is completely depleted before charging.

4. Equipped with a cold protective cover: In order to protect the lithium-ion battery from low temperatures, you can equip a cold protective cover or put the battery in a warm pocket or bag.

5. Regular maintenance: When using lithium-ion batteries in winter, they should be maintained regularly, including cleaning the electrodes and checking the electrolyte concentration. It is also important to avoid overcharging and over-discharging to extend the life of the battery.

 

Conclusion
As the core energy source of modern electronic products, the performance and service life of lithium-ion batteries directly affects our daily lives. Therefore, it is very important to understand and master the maintenance methods of lithium-ion batteries. Through the correct charging method, regular discharge, avoiding overuse, controlling the storage environment, and paying attention to the battery aging phenomenon and other measures, we can effectively extend the service life of lithium-ion batteries and ensure that they can play the best performance when we need them.