Everything You Need to Know About Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries Packs (LiFePO4)

Everything You Need to Know About Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries Packs (LiFePO4) 

Among the many lithium chemistries for rechargeable batteries available on the market, Lithium-ion phosphate formulations have become extremely popular. They power a wide range of applications from heavy duty machinery to consumer electronics. 

Also known as LiFePO4, lithium-iron phosphate batteries have earned a reputation for their safety and reliability. In this article, we talk about lithium-ion phosphate batteries - their chemistry, configuration, features and common applications. LFP and Li-phosphate are the other names a Lithium-iron phosphate battery is known by. 

The First Model 

Lithium-iron phosphate batteries were introduced in 1996, when the University of Texas discovered that phosphate could be used as a cathode material. 

Since then, lithium-iron phosphate batteries have been largely improved upon with changes in coatings and the use of nano-scale phosphate. The most important advantage of using li-phosphate as the cathode material  is low internal resistance. A lower resistance ensures that the battery stays cool and keeps the voltage from dropping. Thus, you enjoy current on demand. 

A Li-phosphate battery however is characterised by a low voltage capacity. And thus the energy output is less compared to other lithium-ion chemistries. Nevertheless, these batteries are lightweight and offer double the amount of energy offered by traditional batteries. 

Safety 

Safety is a big plus on a lithium iron phosphate battery. Its thermal and chemical stability is unparalleled when compared with other lithium-ion chemistries. A lithium-iron battery is very stable at high temperatures reducing the risk of overheating and explosions in the events of mishandling. 

The safety of the lithium-iron phosphate batteries also extends to its disposal. Unlike other lithium-ion chemistries, LFPs do not contain toxic chemicals that might negatively impact the environment. They use iron, graphite and phosphate which are easier to dispose of. 

Durability

Lithium-iron phosphate batteries are also preferred for their longer life cycles. Batteries tend to self-discharge when in storage. Hence, for most other chemistries experts recommend against storing a battery at full-charge as it shortens the life of the battery. 

Lithium-iron phosphate batteries can be safely stored at full charge without it affecting the batteries electrochemical performance. At 80% discharge rate, lithium iron phosphate batteries can average up to 5000 charge cycles. 

Cost-effective 

Lithium-iron phosphate is also very cost effective. The safety and long life span justify the cost of the battery. By reducing the need to replace under performing batteries often, lithium-iron phosphate batteries help you save further. 

Applications of Lithium-Iron Phosphate Batteries 

Lithium iron phosphate batteries are an ideal choice in applications that do not demand high energy density, but instead look for safety, stability and a longer shelf life. 

This includes motors of electric vehicles such as forklifts, RVs or golf carts. It is also widely used to power medical devices. A point to be noted when speaking of lithium iron phosphate batteries is its overall weight. LiFePO4 batteries are much heavier than regular lithium-ion batteries. 

Thus, they can be used to power applications that are more or less stationery. But they are not often recommended as power sources across portable technologies such as tablets and smartphones.