Panasonic successfully developed the 3.1 Ah lithium-ion battery
Since their high energy density and light weight properties are suitable for applications like laptop computers and mobile phones,demand for lithium-ion batteries is growing as a power source for mobile devices.With such devices becoming more sophisticated and powerful, they require more robust and safer batteries that do not cause abnormal heating.
Panasonic Corporation developed a 18650-type high-capacity 3.1 Ah lithium-ion battery and began mass production of the battery this December. The new 3.1 Ah battery has a nickel positive electrode and an energy density of 675 Wh/L. The same type (18 mm in diameter x 65 mm in length) of batteries are widely used in laptop computers.The company successfully achieved safety and high capacity by using its unique Heat Resistance Layer (HRL) technology that forms an insulating metal oxide layer between the positive and negative electrodes. The layer could be able to prevent the battery from overheating even if a short circuit occurs.
Capitalizing on this technology, Panasonic commercialized a high-capacity 2.9 Ah lithium-ion battery with a nickel positive electrode (energy density: 620 Wh/L) in 2006. Based on the cell construction with the nickel positive electrode and the HRL, the company added improvements to the battery and succeeded in developing the 3.1 Ah lithium-ion battery, the industry's highest capacity in the 18650-type.
The new battery provides long-lasting power to laptops. This high energy density battery can also contribute to downsizing and weight reduction of portable devices.By adopting the nickel positive electrode, the new rechargeable battery excels in durability in actual use and charge retention.Due to low self-discharge,this new battery can be stored for a long period of time.
Panasonic will continue to refine its battery technology to deliver lithium-ion batteries combining safety with high capacity and use this technology to develop commercially viable green energy storage systems.