![]()
Battery research is focusing heavily on lithium chemistries, so much so that one could presume that all portable devices will be powered with lithium-ion batteries in the future. In many ways, lithium-ion is superior to nickel and lead-based chemistries, however, aging of lithium-ion is an issue that is often ignored. Lithium-based batteries have a lifetime of two to three years, and the clock starts ticking as soon as the battery comes off the manufacturing line. Eventually, the cell resistance will reach a point where the pack can no longer deliver the stored energy, although the battery may still contain ample charge. There are no remedies to restore lithium-ion once worn out, but there are ways to increase the life before this happens. Here are just a few of the tips mentioned in the article:
- Avoid frequent full discharges because this puts additional strain on the battery
- Keep the lithium-ion battery cool (avoid a hot car)
- Consider removing the battery from a laptop when running on fixed power
- Avoid purchasing spare lithium-ion batteries for later use
Battery University January 2004