The polymer battery is an upgraded version of the lithium battery. A special gel is used as a filler for a lithium polymer battery, which has certain characteristics.

In order to decide whether to use li pol advanced batteries, you need to study certain information, take into account the advantages and disadvantages.

The performance of the equipment, portable device or installation depends largely on how well the power supply is selected. So, a lithium-ion or lithium-ion polymer battery is used to complete portable chargers. To do right choice, you need to know what the difference is. It is obligatory to take into account the pros and cons of power sources.

An interesting video about lithium polymer batteries.

Li-ion batteries

The demonstration of the first ion batteries took place in the last century. Then the developers presented models in which the electrodes were prepared from metallic lithium. They were distinguished by a low level of safety, short operation. Therefore, metallic lithium was replaced by li ions.

The upgraded lithium-ion battery has the following advantages:

Increased capacity, electrolyte density.
Possibility of operation at higher voltage.
Easy maintenance due to no memory effect.
Minimum self-discharge.

The duration of operation of an ion battery also depends on whether the disadvantages are taken into account:

Constant monitoring of voltage, current and temperature levels is required. This requires a special controller. This is what distinguishes ionic batteries from polymer ones.
gradual decrease in capacity.
A proven protective circuit, a controller with the necessary components must be introduced into the composition. Such work requires certain materials, tools. The procedure for manufacturing a protective circuit takes certain time. All this leads to an increase in the cost of li ion po batteries by 1.5–2 times.

Lithium polymer batteries

The development of a high-quality lithium polymer battery was started due to the fact that the safety level of ion power sources was not high. As a result, manufacturers received acb, which have special advantages, unlike li.

Instead of the standard electrolytic composition, a dry polymer electrolyte is used, presented in the form of a film. It does not conduct current, does not interfere with the exchange of charged particles. Unlike an ionic power source, a porous separator is not introduced into the polymer battery device.

Due to the fact that this design is used, the safety level of li pol household batteries is higher. After all, the likelihood of ignition is reduced to zero.

The polymer electrolyte lends itself well to processing. Therefore, manufacturers easily create a li ion polymer battery of the required shape, optimal configuration. Therefore, such power supplies are used in phones, laptops, portable equipment, and camcorders.

Unfortunately, lithium-ion polymer batteries are notable for their low electrical conductivity. Its level rises only when heated. But such an effect is not always acceptable. For example, battery heating is not allowed if there is no cooling system.

The resistance level of li ion polymer batteries is high, so it is quite difficult to obtain the required current value. Because of this, modern devices cannot be equipped with such power sources.

But the above problems are inherent only in those li ion poly power sources in which the electrolyte is presented in a dry form.

Upgraded lithium polymer batteries

The problem associated with the lack of electrical conductivity was solved by introducing certain components into the electrolyte. Now they produce polymer batteries, the electrolyte in which is presented in the form of a gel. Such power supplies are called lithium ion polymer batteries. They are equipped with the best Cell phones, chargers and portable devices.

Rechargeable polymer batteries are found everywhere, no matter what technique is presented.

Fundamental differences

What to choose: li ion or li polymer battery? Both designs have similar characteristics and parameters. The difference lies in the presence of a solid electrolyte in li ion pol batteries.

The upgraded ion polymer battery does not come with a porous separator. It is distinguished by an increased capacity, a long period of operation, and increased electrical conductivity.

When deciding which battery is best for a phone, manufacturers take into account design features, as well as the difference between pol and li types. At the same time, most often they use ion li polymer batteries, which have all the advantages.

Features of using lithium batteries

The use of li ion and li ion pol follows a similar principle. To prevent problems you need:

Maintain a voltage of 4.2–2.7 V during the entire period of operation. These indicators correspond to the maximum and minimum charge.
Consideration of voltage limits introduced by manufacturers. For careful control, the use of proven schemes is allowed.
The service life of batteries charged up to 45–46% pol or li is the longest.
The introduction of controllers into the composition of ionic polymer batteries helps to maintain an acceptable voltage level.

Charging Rules for Lithium Polymer Batteries

To increase the operating time of the battery without additional recharging, you need to take into account the rules for using the charger.

Invalid full discharge. Polymer batteries do not have a memory effect. Therefore, the use of the charger is permissible even with a small discharge. To extend the life of the li ion po, the battery needs to be charged more frequently. In this case, you need to use "native" Charger.
It is harmful to use a battery that is fully charged all the time. Therefore, with a certain frequency, the power supply must be discharged to zero. Due to the instability of charging, the use of various circuits and devices. With periodic discharge, the probability of the formation of lower, upper thresholds is excluded.
Non-operated li ion po power supplies are stored at a temperature of 15-20 degrees. The charge level should be 40%. A fully charged power supply should not be stored. After all, this is fraught with loss of capacity, deterioration in performance.
Lithium-ion polymer batteries are charged using original chargers. Some mobile phones are equipped with built-in chargers. An external adapter is supplied separately to help stabilize the voltage. Part of the equipment is not equipped with such devices. Therefore, the battery is removed for charging.
Polymer batteries must not be overheated. Even an excess of 1-2 degrees adversely affects the state of the power source. Low temperatures also have a negative effect. Therefore, you need to use the battery only in the permissible mode.
It is forbidden to operate power sources in the immediate vicinity of heaters. The battery must not be exposed to direct sunlight. After all, all this helps to reduce the period of use.
It is not safe to use chargers that have not been certified. So how do you charge the battery? The best way out is to use proven and certified chargers that are recommended by manufacturers.
All connectors used must match in size. This is the only way to eliminate the possibility of shorting the battery.
The temperature of the power supply must be continuously monitored. This is especially important if no cooling system is available.
Mechanical loads are prohibited. This can provoke the formation of microcracks and other damage.

Video about the restoration of lithium-polymer batteries.

Before using the universal charger, you must:

Compare technical parameters.
Check capacity readings. When using limited chargers, it will be difficult to charge the power supply.
Make sure the charger is working. After all, Chinese products may have defects.

If necessary, you can check how the old battery will be charged.

Storage and disposal of polymer batteries

The period of operation of whether ion polymer batteries depends on the observance of storage rules.

Primary power sources do not require special storage conditions. Just follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
The battery removed from the device is placed on a dry surface. At the same time, it is necessary to minimize the likelihood of sunlight hitting the surface of the power source.
The likelihood of freezing increases if the battery is in a discharged form. Therefore, premises with the required conditions are selected for storage.
It is necessary to store polymer batteries with a small charge (40-50%).
Lithium polymer batteries, whose voltage is constantly decreasing, should not be operated and stored. Such devices must be recycled.
After long-term storage, the energy source must be inspected. Damaged or swollen batteries should be replaced.

The electrochemical system of polymer batteries is harmless. After all, the preparation took into account environmental standards and requirements. But the disposal of failed devices is mandatory. Such actions contribute to the preservation of the environment. Failed sources are transferred to the appropriate organizations in the prescribed manner.

Upgraded lithium polymer rechargeable batteries are gradually replacing traditional food sources. And this is due to the considerable possibilities, technical specifications and an increased level of security.

Video about lithium polymer batteries

What is the difference between a lithium polymer battery and an ion battery?

The vast majority of people in developed countries have mobile phones, tablets, laptops. When you buy a gadget in a store, most likely you don’t even think about the type of battery in it. And this is not surprising. Technology is developing rapidly, including in the field of batteries. Not so long ago, Ni─Cd batteries were used in mobile electronics, which later replaced Ni─MH. Then came lithium-ion, which quickly conquered the market portable gadgets. And now they are being squeezed by lithium-polymer batteries. At some point, the user begins to think about what kind of battery he has. What are its advantages and disadvantages? In this note, we will try to understand what is the difference between a lithium polymer battery and a lithium ion battery.

Work on the creation of batteries using lithium has been going on for a long time. But the first working instances for household appliances appeared only in the 1970s. But then these were imperfect models with electrodes made of lithium metal. And the operation of such batteries is problematic in terms of safety. There were many unresolved problems with the process of charging and discharging such batteries.

The fact is that metallic lithium is very active and has a high electrochemical potential. Its use in batteries can significantly increase the energy density. Li metal electrode batteries, which were developed first, have high voltage and large capacity. However, the constant operation of such a battery in the charge and discharge mode leads to the fact that the lithium electrode changes.

This leads to the fact that the stability of operation is disturbed and there is a risk of ignition due to an uncontrolled reaction in the battery. The battery cell heats up quickly and when the temperature rises to melt lithium, a violent reaction occurs with ignition. Related to this were recalls of the first lithium-type batteries in consumer electronics in the early 1990s.

As a result, scientists began to develop batteries based on Li ions. Due to the fact that it was necessary to abandon the use of metallic lithium, the energy density somewhat decreased. But on the other hand, problems with safety during the operation of the battery were solved. These new batteries are called lithium-ion.

The energy density of lithium-ion batteries is 2-3 times (depending on the materials used) higher than that of . When discharging Li─Ion batteries show similar characteristics to Ni─Cd. The only thing they are inferior to them in is operation at ultra-high discharge currents (more than 10C). To date, many different modifications of lithium-ion batteries have already been released.

They differ in the material used as the cathode, form factor and some other parameters. They are uniquely characterized by a design that includes electrodes immersed in a liquid electrolyte containing lithium ions. This battery cell is placed in a sealed metal shell (steel, aluminium). To control the charging and discharging processes in lithium-ion batteries, there is a printed circuit board called a controller.

To complete the picture of Li─Ion batteries, let's consider their advantages and disadvantages.

Benefits of Li-Ion

Small self-discharge;
High energy density and capacity compared to alkaline;
One battery cell has a voltage of about 3.7 volts. For cadmium and metal hydride, this value is 1.2 volts. This greatly simplifies the design. Phones, for example, use batteries that contain only one can;
There is no memory effect, which means that battery maintenance is simplified.

Disadvantages of Li-Ion

Controller required. This is a printed circuit board that controls the voltage of the battery cell or cells, if there are several. The board also controls the maximum discharge current, and in some cases, the temperature of the jar. Without a controller, it is impossible to safely operate a lithium-ion battery;
The degradation of the Li─Ion system goes on even during storage. That is, after a year, the battery capacity decreases significantly, even if it is not used. Batteries of other types (alkaline, lead-acid) also gradually degrade during storage, but this is less pronounced for them;
The price of lithium ion is higher than cadmium or.

The possibilities of lithium-ion technology have not been developed to the end. Therefore, new batteries are constantly appearing, where certain problems of this type of battery are solved. Read more about what it is in the article at the link provided.

Li-Pol battery

Due to problems with ensuring safety during the charge-discharge of Li─Ion batteries, further developments of modifications of these batteries began to be carried out. As a result, lithium-polymer batteries were developed. Their difference from ionic in the electrolyte used. It is worth saying that the first developments in this direction were carried out simultaneously with Li─Ion technology. Back in the last century, a dry solid polymer electrolyte was used for the first time. By appearance it looks like a piece of plastic. This polymer does not conduct current, but does not interfere with ion exchange, which involves the movement of charged atoms or their groups. In addition to the electrolyte content in it, the polymer also acts as a porous separator between the electrodes.

The new design improves safety and simplifies battery production. And even more importantly, lithium-polymer batteries can be produced in almost any shape and very small thickness (up to 1 millimeter). This allows you to do various devices powered by Li─Pol rechargeable batteries, thin, compact and sleek. Some lithium-polymer batteries can even be sewn into clothing.

Naturally, there are also disadvantages. In particular, Li─Pol batteries with dry electrolyte have low electrical conductivity at room temperature. This is because at this temperature their internal resistance is large, which prevents the discharge current required for the operation of portable electronics.

If you heat a lithium polymer battery to 60 degrees Celsius, the conductivity increases. It is clear that this is not suitable for use in phones or tablets. However, dry polymer batteries have found their niche in the market. They are used as spare power sources at elevated temperatures. There are options when heating elements are placed to provide the temperature necessary for the normal operation of the battery.

Here it is worth clarifying another important point. Surely everyone has seen that batteries marked Li─Pol have long been used in smartphones, tablets and laptops. These are lithium-polymer batteries of a hybrid type, so to speak. They are a cross between Li─Ion and dry polymer batteries. Manufacturers of lithium-polymer batteries use a gel-like substance with lithium ions as the electrolyte.

So, almost all lithium-polymer batteries in modern mobile gadgets use a gel-like electrolyte. By design, they are a hybrid of ion and polymer batteries. What is the difference between ionic and polymer batteries with a gel-like electrolyte? Their basic electrochemical parameters are approximately the same. The difference between such hybrid batteries is that they use a solid electrolyte instead of a porous separator. He, as mentioned above, also performs the role of a porous separator. And the electrolyte in the gel state is used to increase the electrical conductivity of the ions.

Lithium-polymer batteries are becoming more and more common in the market and are the future. At least in the home appliances and consumer electronics segment. But while their implementation is not very active. Some experts in the market attribute this to the fact that too much money has been invested in the development of Li─Ion batteries. And investors just want to "recapture" the money invested. read the link.

Lithium-polymer batteries have appeared on the market not so long ago, but they already serve as a power source for many gadgets. These batteries are used in smartphones, tablets, laptops, children's toys and other equipment.

Batteries are gradually improved, old errors and shortcomings are corrected. But still, lithium-polymer batteries fail, and sometimes they can explode. Below we will consider how to avoid premature breakdowns, where to buy, as well as the features of this type of battery.

Li-Po batteries are one type of lithium batteries. The development of polymer batteries was based on lithium-ion batteries. They use a liquid electrolyte, which causes some problems during operation.

The main goal of the specialists was to get rid of the old electrolyte, as it caused many difficulties.

In addition, several changes were made to the principle of battery operation.

To understand how lithium-polymer batteries differ from others, you need to understand two main concepts:

An electrolyte is an acid solution that conducts electricity. Unlike ordinary conductors, positively charged ions conduct current here.
A polymer is a substance that consists of a chain of repeating monomers (a group of molecules).

So, what have scientists changed in lithium-ion batteries? First, the electrolyte became solid. Secondly, a polymer began to be used as an electrolyte. Hence the name of these batteries.

At the same time, the polymer is very thin, it looks like a film. The polymer now does not conduct current, but it still has the property to conduct ions.

Thus, the scientists obtained an electrolyte and a separator in one piece of polymer.

Electrochemistry is developing rapidly today, new changes are constantly being made to the design of Li-Po. For example, rake electrolytes that contain lithium ions have recently been added to batteries.

Characteristics of LiPo

The data that is written below is constantly changing, as progress in electrochemistry does not stand still.

All specifications are valid only in 2019. In addition, they may vary, depending on the battery and manufacturer.

Main characteristics:

Energy intensity - measured in mAh (milliamp per hour). If you recall the school physics course, then the ampere is the current strength. The clock, in this case, characterizes the time during which this battery maintains the required current. To understand the essence of the characteristic, let's take a regular 4000 mAh smartphone battery, for example. For one hour, such a battery produces a current of 4000 mA. If we take 4 hours, then the current strength will be approximately equal to 1000 mA and so on.
The next characteristic is the number of discharges and charges, pay attention to it. This number determines how long the battery will last. Li-Pos don't have that many cycles. The norm for these batteries is 400-500 cycles. When the battery has completed its 500 cycles, it can be thrown away. Ni-MH batteries have a minimum of 1000 cycles.
Input and output voltage. Input - this is the voltage that should be in the outlet. The output is the voltage that the battery produces. Most often, these two characteristics are equal, but there are exceptions.

Proper operation

Lithium polymer batteries are very delicate. There are many reasons why batteries fail.

Failure to follow the rules of operation leads to a fire and a complete malfunction.

Let's figure out how to use lithium-polymer batteries so that they last a long time.

Operating rules:

The battery must not be overcharged, that is, the voltage should not exceed 4.2 volts. Overcharging can cause swelling.
Short circuit.
Supply the battery with a current that exceeds the allowable rate.
Strong overheating (above 60 degrees).
Hull damage and depressurization.
Store lithium polymer batteries in a discharged state.

Because of the first three reasons, a fire often occurs. To prevent this, use only serviceable chargers. From short circuit will save the correct connector, which has short circuit protection.

It is also necessary to control the current consumed by the device in which there is a lithium-polymer battery.

Overheating of the battery occurs due to the fact that the device itself, when heated, heats up the Li-Po battery.

If the battery temperature reaches 70 degrees, then the energy stored in the battery begins to turn into heat, thereby increasing the already high temperature. At the same time, the battery starts to set fire to everything around. Especially smartphones with lithium-polymer batteries and laptops suffer from this.

There is an opinion that Li-Po cannot be used at low temperatures. Despite the fact that the range in which the battery works normally is set from 0 to 50 degrees, it can still be used at sub-zero temperatures.

The main thing is not to freeze the battery.

Keep it warm, for example in your pocket. The internal heat of the battery will not allow the battery to cool down. Of course, in the cold, the return will be somewhat lower than when using the battery in the heat.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of lithium polymer batteries

Polymer batteries have a high electrical capacity.
The thickness of the batteries reaches one millimeter.
The body shape can be any.
If the battery is discharged, then the voltage does not drop as much as in other batteries.
Li-Po has no memory effect. In short, the memory effect is the loss of significant battery capacity.
The battery can operate in a fairly wide temperature range (from -20 to 40 degrees).

if the ambient temperature is below -20 degrees, then the battery is quickly discharged;
great cost.

DIY battery assembly

To assemble the battery yourself, you need to buy batteries, or in common parlance - banks. To assemble, you need to be able to solder and understand the basic concepts of electronics.

To assemble the battery, all purchased banks must be connected in parallel. In order to determine the number of cans in a purchased battery, you need to look at the label. Not only the number of cans is written on it, but also the number of cans connected in series and in parallel.

Usually, the letter P indicates the number of cans connected in parallel, and the letter S indicates the number of cans connected in series. For example, the package says 3S2P. It stands for this: under the case there are 3 rows of batteries connected in series, in each row there are 2 banks.

If you are using batteries that you bought separately, then before connecting them to each other, you should equalize the potentials on the stamps.

If this is not done, then the banks will begin to charge each other, which will cause a current strength greater than 1C.

Also, before connecting, it is necessary to discharge all banks so that the voltage is 3V, with a current of 0.1-0.2C. Especially all of the above applies to parallel connection. Voltage is measured with a digital voltmeter, otherwise inaccuracies may occur.

Many manufacturers do not balance banks to speed up and save on battery production, so it is best to do the balancing yourself.

To avoid battery imbalance in the future, in no case should new cells be added to the battery sequentially with the old ones.

The operation of cans with different capacities can lead to imbalance, even if the difference between the values is small. For example, 1800 mAh and 2000 mAh. At different manufacturers There are batteries with different voltages, and this leads to imbalance.

When all the batteries are purchased, you can start soldering the elements. Of course, you can come up with an arrangement of elements on your own, but it's best to take a ready-made one.

In order not to overheat the outputs and the tightness of the can, we solder carefully, otherwise the battery will fail without even working.

You can purchase a special textolite printed circuit board, on which it will be more convenient to solder the wires. It is soldered to each bank. This adds a small weight to the jar (about 1 gram), but it becomes much more convenient to solder, since fiberglass does not conduct heat well and it takes longer to warm up.

For balancing use special fee, which contains load resistors, a control circuit, as well as an LED that will light up if the voltage is higher than 4.2V.

If the voltage exceeds this value, then the board closes part of the current, which does not allow it to rise further. Such a fee must be soldered to each bank.

Proper charging Li-Pol

Charging the battery is a simple matter. All you need is a direct current source, with a voltage of 4.2V. The current should be in 1C, although many modern models can withstand as much as 5C.

A full charge of the battery takes 1-3 hours, depending on the model and its characteristics.

Also, battery charging can be stopped when the current drops to 0.1C. Before the batteries go into voltage stabilization mode, they gain 60-80% of the energy from the entire capacity, with DC in 1C.

For proper charging, you must carefully select the charger. The voltage that the charger produces should be 0.01 per can.

There are two types of chargers on the roar. The first is budget devices, costing from $10 to $50, designed only for. The second is universal chargers that are suitable for different equipment. Of course, they cost much more, from $80.

Cheap chargers do not have an indicator showing current, voltage, charging time. The number of cans and the required current are set using jumpers or by connecting the charger to different connectors on the device.

Plus a cheap option at a low price. The disadvantage of such charges is that they do not know how to determine exactly when to stop charging. All they can do is determine the moment of transition from current stabilization to voltage stabilization. But, as a rule, the battery is only 80% charged at this moment.

The second type of chargers has more advantages than the first. They allow you to immediately find out the voltage, current, charge that was "transferred" to the battery in the process.

Conclusion

Lithium polymer batteries have changed a lot over the past few years. Many people assume that they are the future of electrochemistry. Although fuel energy carriers are actively appearing on the market.

Almost all modern electronic gadgets are equipped with lithium-polymer batteries. They are widely used on flying radio-controlled models, quadrocopters, helicopters and airplanes. Lithium polymer batteries have quite a few advantages, including - high density energy, low self-discharge and the absence of the so-called "memory effect".

As a result, for models with Li Pol power units, there is practically no worthy alternative to the battery. It is to be expected that they will be used more and more widely, especially in areas such as unmanned aerial vehicles, electric vehicles, and the like.

Despite all the advantages, LiPol batteries have a reputation for being capricious, dangerous and short-lived power sources. In fact, these shortcomings are somewhat exaggerated. If used correctly, problems will be minimized.

Charging Rules

In order for the power supply to work without problems, it is necessary to properly charge LiPo batteries. Otherwise, there is a high risk of damage and even spontaneous combustion. Consider how to properly charge a lithium polymer battery to avoid possible problems:

Charging a LiPo battery with any charger will not work, this requires special chargers. This is due to the features of the two-phase charging process.

Li Pol batteries are charged in two phases (CC-CV method). At the first stage, the voltage on all battery banks increases. By the end of the phase, it reaches 4.2 volts. In fact, at this point, Li Pol batteries are charging up to 95%. Then the second phase begins. To prevent overcharging, which is detrimental to a lithium polymer battery, the current is reduced. If the voltage exceeds 4.25 volts, the risk of spontaneous combustion increases.
It is not recommended to allow the power supply to be completely discharged, about 10-20% should remain in it before recharging, otherwise it will quickly fail.
It is important to ensure that the voltage does not fall below 3 volts on each bank. With such a decrease in voltage indicators, there is a high risk that the battery may swell. In this case, a swollen LiPo battery will lose more than 50% of its capacity. If a LiPo battery is swollen, all that remains is to throw it away - the loss of capacity is irreversible.

The fact that lithium-polymer power supplies swell is one of the serious problems of their operation. All banks should be charged and discharged evenly. At the same time, the charger for lithium polymer batteries monitors only the total voltage, but with a large variation in indicators, the likelihood that the LiPo battery is swollen increases significantly. It also leads to overcharging of individual cans, increasing the risk of spontaneous combustion.

To solve this problem, charging Li Pol batteries must be performed using a balancer that is able to monitor the voltage on each bank, or a charger with a built-in balancer. Do not charge the timer charger. If the current is insufficient, the charger will turn off without fully charging it. The charge current should not exceed 1C and be less than 0.5C. You also need to remember that the larger the capacity of the LiPo battery, the longer it will take to charge.

Exploitation

In order to extend the life of Li Pol devices, or at least not shorten it, it is important and correct operation batteries. When we charge the power supply, we must not allow it to heat up above 60 degrees. If heating does occur, the battery must be allowed to cool before being used. Also, you can not put an overheated drive on charge.

Do not store a fully discharged battery. Be sure to charge it. The most optimal indicators are 60%. In general, if these simple rules are observed, there are no problems with the use of lithium polymer batteries.

Ask yourself: “What to choose: Li-Ion or Li-Po battery?” We will tell you in detail what is the difference between these two types of batteries.

As we all know, the power of a portable charger depends to a large extent on the quality of the batteries inside the device. On the modern market, there are two types of batteries that are used for the production of portable chargers: Li-Ion and Li-Po battery cells.

Li-Ion or Li-Po: What's the Difference and What to Choose

For users, one of the frequently asked questions regarding portable chargers is: what is the difference between Li-Ion and Li-Po batteries, as well as which one is better. Let's figure it out.

What is Li-Ion and Li-Po?

Li-Ion is short for lithium ion, and Li-Po is short for lithium polymer. The endings "ionic" and "polymeric" are an indication of the cathode. A lithium polymer battery is made up of a polymer cathode and a solid electrolyte, while a lithium-ion battery is made up of carbon and a liquid electrolyte. Both batteries are rechargeable, and then, in one way or another, they both perform the same function. Generally, lithium-ion batteries older than lithium-polymer, but they are still widely used due to their low price and low maintenance. Lithium polymer batteries are considered to be more advanced, with improved features that provide a higher level of safety, therefore, such batteries are more expensive than lithium-ion batteries.

There are many configurations of Li-Ion batteries. The most common lithium-ion batteries for portable chargers are 18650 batteries with a diameter of 18mm and a length of 65mm, in which 0 means a cylindrical configuration. More than 60% of portable chargers are made from 18650 battery cells. The size and weight of such cells easily allows them to be used in many electronic devices. Manufacturing technologies also do not stand still.

As consumers increasingly demand lighter, more compact portable chargers, the limitations that Li-Ion batteries bring with them are becoming more and more apparent. Therefore, manufacturers are shifting to making lighter, flatter, modular lithium polymer batteries for new portable chargers. What's more, Lithium Polymer batteries are less prone to bursting, so portable chargers no longer need to have a protective layer built in, while most 18650 Lithium Ion batteries only need to be installed with a shield.

Let's summarize the information about the differences between lithium ion and lithium polymer in the form of a table.

Key features	Li-Ion	LiPo
Energy density	high	Low, with fewer cycles compared to Li-Ion
Versatility	Low	High, manufacturers are not tied to the standard cell format
Weight	A little heavier	Lungs
Capacity	Below	The same volume of Li-Po battery is almost twice as large as Li-Ion
Life cycle	Big	Big
Explosiveness	Higher	More thoughtful safety reduces the risk of overcharging as well as electrolyte leakage
Charge time	A little longer	shorter
wear and tear	Loses less than 0.1% of its effectiveness each month	Slower than Li-Ion batteries
Price	Cheaper	More expensive

After studying all the advantages, disadvantages and characteristics of the two types of batteries, you can make sure that there is no strong competition between them. Although the lithium-ion battery is thinner and sleeker, lithium-ion batteries have a higher energy density, and then they are much cheaper to manufacture.

Therefore, don't pay much attention to the type of battery, just choose a branded portable charger that suits your needs. After all, a lot of chemicals are added to these batteries, so it remains to be seen which ones will last the longest.