About Lithium Polymer Battery Packs
Lithium polymer batteries packs where bought into the market right around 1996. They are the batteries that we use in our cell and mobile phones. In the computer world, they are used in ipods, ipads, iphones, mp3 players, tablets, PDA's, OQO palm tops, eReaders and laptops. The former lithium-ion batteries were replaced by these because the polymer-based ones were cheaper to produce.
What is a Lithium Polymer Battery Pack?
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repetitious structural units connected by covalent chemical bonds. The lithium salt electrolyte is held in a solid polymer composite and not in an organic solvent. In the end, the lithium polymer battery pack has a longer life span then does the lithium-ion pack and most of the batteries out there. Where as the lithium-ion battery pack, cost more to produce and they had the speedy charge that everyone was looking for; however, a very short shelf life.
It was with advanced technology that Toshiba upgraded the lithium polymer battery packs to a 90% charge in five minutes. Where as before that they were taking over an hour to charge. Now we have faster charging batteries, holding longer charge at low rates for all our electronic needs.
Applications for Use
Manufacturers can shape the battery however they please. Cell phone manufacturers have been requesting thinner ones, since they are putting more into their phones these days plus making them thinner too.
Radio controlled aircraft and car manufacturers are also using Lithium polymer battery packs for their products. The advantages increase run times. Air soft gun owners have also switch over to using them for those reasons, plus they produce better fire.
Cautions
Lithium polymer battery packs need specific chargers made for them. Otherwise, they could explode. If the cell pack is punctured, there could be a fire. Explosion could occur if the battery pack is short-circuited and the current passes through a cell in a second. For prevention, make shore that the battery leads are properly connected at all times before use. In most cases, they are covered by a hard plastic or a metal case to avoid puncturing.
Motor Vehicles
This is pretty much the battery of the future for cars. The cost of an electronic car at this time is very high. However, with the lithium-polymer battery, opponents are hoping they are going to come down. Hyundai Motor Company is planning to use this battery in its hybrid electric vehicles. Audi already added a lithium polymer battery to their A2 cars and it covered the distance of 600 km without recharging on October 26, 2010.