The widespread use of portable instruments has promoted the development of rechargeable battery market and battery industry. Portable instruments need longer running time and mobile phones need longer talking time, which requires higher energy density of chemical batteries. What can meet these technical requirements are lithium ion and lithium polymer batteries.
Sony first produced rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in 1990. Lithium-ion batteries have been used in notebook computers and mobile phones, and may also be used in digital mobile phones in the future.
Lithium polymer battery is a new generation battery, which entered the market in large quantities in 1999. Lithium polymer battery is basically the same as lithium ion battery except that the electrolyte is solid polymer instead of liquid electrolyte.
Polymer electrolyte material is a common film composed of solution, in which the main polymer such as polyethylene oxide is used as a fixed solvent. The advantage of lithium polymer battery is that it can be made into any shape and is light in weight, because it contains no heavy metals and has a plastic shell to prevent electrolyte from leaking out. Their performance is good, and the capacity of lithium polymer battery in ideal state is several thousand mA/hour, which is safer. Solid electrolyte, like a sealed gel, will not easily decompose naturally during charging.
Both lithium polymer battery and lithium ion battery technology can replace NiGd battery. But the price is too high, and the market has not fully accepted it, especially the lithium polymer technology. Brush, an analyst at Darnell Group, believes that polymer batteries will not be more expensive than lithium-ion batteries forever, and the current production situation is indeed much more expensive, which promotes the development of lithium-ion battery technology. In the past, the cost of lithium-ion battery for notebook computers was $465,438 +0.42, and the cost of polymer battery for notebook computers was $60.80.
Not everyone thinks that lithium-ion batteries are cheaper than polymer batteries. Some battery manufacturers are turning to invest in lithium polymer battery technology, and Toshiba American Electronic Components Company (TAEC) has invested heavily in this field. Due to the demand of Japanese market, lithium ion has turned to lithium polymer, and lithium ion batteries have become very cheap. The change of price is not necessarily consistent with the increase of output and income. TAEC believes that lithium polymer batteries are in short supply, and its goal is to occupy the market of 3 ~ 6 mm thick batteries. The company will increase the production capacity from the current 6.5438+0.5 million vehicles to 2 million vehicles in 2006. And with the development of new technology, the price will drop. Some insiders believe that the price gap between lithium-ion batteries and lithium polymer batteries will become very small in five years. In the face of future market applications, many people naturally turn from small portable instruments and mobile phones to other areas that use batteries. The biggest market is the application in automobiles. At present, people in the battery industry are optimistic about the huge profits in the automobile market, implement strict environmental protection measures and feasible energy requirements, and do not develop electronic hybrid vehicles, so lithium polymer batteries have broad application prospects. A processor with a 14 inch display screen and a remote control connection called a "pen pad" can be connected to the Internet in computers with belts and wrists, mobile hospital systems, and telephones conforming to wireless application protocols. All these applications need to be rechargeable and store electric energy, and occupy the minimum space.
predict
It is estimated that the shipment of polymer batteries will reach190,000 this year, compared with140,000 last year. It is conservatively estimated that the monthly freight volume is 3.25 million pieces, and the production capacity is more than twice that of 200 1 first quarter shipment.
Analysts believe that on the basis of other products, the share of lithium polymer batteries in total battery revenue will increase. For example, Brush believes that the market share of lithium polymer batteries will exceed that of NiCd batteries by 2003 or 2004 due to the decline in sales of NiCd batteries. The rechargeable battery market grew from $4.4 billion last year to $5.8 billion in 2004, with an annual total revenue growth rate of 5.5%. According to Kline &; In the report "Global Opportunities for Advanced Battery Technology 1997 ~ 2007", the company's conclusion is more specific. It is predicted that by 2007, the annual market demand for lithium polymer batteries will be at least $65,438 billion. 50% of these demands come from the United States and Western Europe. Regardless of the actual output, lithium polymer batteries are the most widely used in mobile phones. Light weight and easy to use make it more popular and competitive than lithium-ion batteries. With the development and application of new technology, its price will eventually come down.
product development
Panasonic Battery Industry Corporation began mass production of large-capacity lithium polymer batteries in May, 20001year, with the capacity of 1650mA/h/h, and the negative electrode of the battery was made of new materials. Toshiba's OEM battery group also released a series of 2.5 mm thick lithium polymer batteries for personal digital assistants. According to the company, this series of products adopts new structure and cathode material, and its capacity is 1.7 ~ 3.3 times of the existing capacity (the current maximum capacity is 1000mA/h). Mass production, 50 per month before 200 1. TAEC is providing new designs beyond the existing advanced lithium polymer designs, especially in the working temperature range. Electrochem has developed various capacity batteries with a capacity of 35 ~ 6500ma/h and a thickness of 0.65~6.3mm PolySter plans to launch 1200mA/h batteries with a specification of 46? 50? 6mm, used for BP machines and personal digital devices, and batteries with capacity of 1000mA/h for mobile phones; The 850mA/h battery is used for surfing the Internet, and the 3 10Ma/h battery is used for wrist instruments. 160ma/h (30? 29? 3.2 mm) for headphones. Ultralife battery company recently announced the completion of a production line, producing a battery with a thickness of 0.5mm, a packaged thickness of 4.4mm, a capacity of 700mA/h and a weight of about 20g. Other lithium polymer battery technologies are at different stages of development or close to production, such as Lithium Technology Company, which aims at the 9A/h of the automobile market with a specification of 4? 8? 0.25 inch battery.
commercial activity
Valeme Technology Co., Ltd. obtained 3 million newly issued shares from Telcordia Technology Co., Ltd. according to the agreement. This agreement was implemented in June+February, 5438, including 42 American patents, 15 existing business licenses and PLON(TM) trademark. Bellcore patent belongs to Valeme, which makes Valeme have more than 260 American patents. These published and forthcoming patents cover all advanced lithium polymer rechargeable battery technologies of Valeme technology. Valeme claims that it has the global business qualification of lithium ion and lithium polymer technology. At the same time, TDK Company, Hopkms Company and MH Company announced that TDK Company and Valeme Company have joined hands to form a joint venture with TDK Power Resources Company and Valeme Technology Company, and signed a contract with Northrop Grumman Company to develop lithium polymer batteries for the advanced sealed transmission system of the US Navy.
This development project, managed by Northrop Grumman, is applied to the deep diving program office in the United States. The development project will test the feasibility and performance of lithium-ion polymer batteries.
Mark Grese, president of TDK Power Resources Company, believes that the unique performance and capacity of lithium-ion polymer batteries are suitable for various tasks of the US Navy and should have a long cycle and life cycle during use. Lithium polymer battery has no air leakage, which eliminates the biggest problem in the use of diving equipment.