Comparing A Lithium Iron laptop Batteries To A Lithium Ion Batteries

How does a lithium iron laptop batteries compare to a lithium ion battery for safety, performance or longevity? Tips to pick the best rechargeable lithium batteries. How does a lithium iron battery compare to a lithium ion battery? The newest rechargeable lithium batteries are made of lithium iron phosphate, or LiFePO4. The older lithium ion, or "Li-ion", battery is made of lithium cobalt dioxide or LiCoO2. The lithium iron battery wins on safety considerations. Under stress, a lithium ion battery can heat up very rapidly and cause a fire. Under the same circumstances, a lithium iron battery can keep its cool. Material Safety The materials should be non-toxic, non-irritating, and safe to manage at the end of the battery's life. Lithium iron phosphate is a safer material than the lithium cobalt used in Li-ion batteries. Replacing any lithium battery pack is expensive, so the battery must survive many recharge cycles. Some tests show lithium iron phosphate batteries survive about 2,000 recharge cycles, compared to about 1,500 for Li-ion. The shelf life of lithium batteries is quite limited. Shelf life for some LiFePO4 batteries was found to be at least 50 days longer than the 300 or so for lithium ion batteries. The quicker the battery charger does its job, the sooner the battery can get back to work. Lower costs for materials, machinery and labour to manufacture the rechargeable batteries lead to better affordability. The Lithium Iron Battery and the Consumer The lithium iron phosphate battery has many advantages over lithium ion. Allan Chen, Berkeley Lab, "Batteries of the Future II", published Feb. 2007, referenced Oct. 16, 2010. MTI Corp., "Material Data Handling Sheet (LiFePO4 Powder for Li-ion battery Cathode)", revised June, 2010, referenced Oct. 16, 2010.