Here is a quote from an article on Lithuim batteries:
Flat discharge curve. The terminal voltage of a lithium battery is very stable. The battery is able to maintain a relatively constant terminal voltage until the last 15% of its life for significant discharge rates. At lower discharge rates the terminal voltage will stay almost constant until the last 5% of the battery's life.
This is in direct contrast to alkaline batteries where the terminal voltage starts a rapid drop from the very beginning as the internal battery resistance climbs, wasting much of the remaining power at high discharge rates.
Low internal resistance. A lithium battery employs a wound plate construction to provide a large plate surface area. This allows the battery to operate with a very low internal resistance and produce very large currents.
The low internal resistance in a lithium battery is maintained throughout its life, rising steeply just as the battery is dying. This is why the voltage curve is so flat and why the lithium battery is so efficient.
Wide temperature operating range: -60° to 80°C (-76° to 176°F). The lithium/sulfur dioxide chemistry is very tolerant of wide temperature ranges. Most other battery chemistries don't work very well below freezing and they also die in short order at elevated temperatures.
At -40°C (-40°F) the battery retains about 50% of its capacity when providing 0.5A, 65% of its capacity when providing 0.1A and 85% of its capacity when providing 0.01A.
Lithium batteries can take the summer southwest desert heat and still provide years of service.
Conventional alkaline batteries fail when the temperature drops below freezing. This makes them inappropriate for cold weather operations. Their shelf life is also dramatically reduced when exposed to high temperatures (alkaline batteries left in the glove compartment in the desert southwest sometimes don't make it through the entire summer).
10-year battery shelf life. Lithium batteries can be stored at room temperature for 10 years and still retain 70% of their rated capacity. The shelf life is reduced to 5 years at significantly elevated temperatures. If you are using lithium batteries to power emergency equipment, we recommend you test the equipment regularly and replace the lithium batteries at least every 5 years. The batteries removed from the emergency equipment can be used for less critical functions so their remaining capacity is not wasted.
The lithium/sulfur dioxide battery chemistry has an interesting characteristic you should know about. When a battery has been stored at elevated temperatures or for an extended period of time, a passive layer forms over the lithium anode. This layer contributes to the long shelf life of the battery. When the battery is placed in service, this layer dissipates quickly but may temporarily depress the battery terminal voltage.
Like all batteries, lithium batteries should be stored individually packaged. Care should be taken to avoid excessively high temperatures (80°C or 176°F), shorting the batteries or physically damaging the batteries.
Flat discharge curve. The terminal voltage of a lithium battery is very stable. The battery is able to maintain a relatively constant terminal voltage until the last 15% of its life for significant discharge rates. At lower discharge rates the terminal voltage will stay almost constant until the last 5% of the battery's life.
This is in direct contrast to alkaline batteries where the terminal voltage starts a rapid drop from the very beginning as the internal battery resistance climbs, wasting much of the remaining power at high discharge rates.
Low internal resistance. A lithium battery employs a wound plate construction to provide a large plate surface area. This allows the battery to operate with a very low internal resistance and produce very large currents.
The low internal resistance in a lithium battery is maintained throughout its life, rising steeply just as the battery is dying. This is why the voltage curve is so flat and why the lithium battery is so efficient.
Wide temperature operating range: -60° to 80°C (-76° to 176°F). The lithium/sulfur dioxide chemistry is very tolerant of wide temperature ranges. Most other battery chemistries don't work very well below freezing and they also die in short order at elevated temperatures.
At -40°C (-40°F) the battery retains about 50% of its capacity when providing 0.5A, 65% of its capacity when providing 0.1A and 85% of its capacity when providing 0.01A.
Lithium batteries can take the summer southwest desert heat and still provide years of service.
Conventional alkaline batteries fail when the temperature drops below freezing. This makes them inappropriate for cold weather operations. Their shelf life is also dramatically reduced when exposed to high temperatures (alkaline batteries left in the glove compartment in the desert southwest sometimes don't make it through the entire summer).
10-year battery shelf life. Lithium batteries can be stored at room temperature for 10 years and still retain 70% of their rated capacity. The shelf life is reduced to 5 years at significantly elevated temperatures. If you are using lithium batteries to power emergency equipment, we recommend you test the equipment regularly and replace the lithium batteries at least every 5 years. The batteries removed from the emergency equipment can be used for less critical functions so their remaining capacity is not wasted.
The lithium/sulfur dioxide battery chemistry has an interesting characteristic you should know about. When a battery has been stored at elevated temperatures or for an extended period of time, a passive layer forms over the lithium anode. This layer contributes to the long shelf life of the battery. When the battery is placed in service, this layer dissipates quickly but may temporarily depress the battery terminal voltage.
Like all batteries, lithium batteries should be stored individually packaged. Care should be taken to avoid excessively high temperatures (80°C or 176°F), shorting the batteries or physically damaging the batteries.
