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Lithium-ion Liquid 050602
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Older iPods are reaching the 2 year birthday and exhibiting the cycle life problem inherent in Lithium-ion characteristics. This means that over two million users will have to ‘re-tank’ either with an Apple warranty or an out-of-pocket replacement. (Ed. note: The concern stems from a device which is used daily, requiring the recharge which leads to its demise. Only cell phones and PDAs are popular high daily use items which could compare to the useage profile of the iPod. Cell phones often have easy to snap out batteries for replacement, so users probably are not as upset when replacement time appears. For the ‘buried’ batteries requiring mini-screwdrivers and tiny fingers to replace them, a service department is often the preferred route. Lack of state-of-health information adds to the immediacy of the user’s surprise.)
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A polymer cathode material replaces the conventional cobalt or manganese, resulting in a cell which could be recharged in 30 seconds. The cycle life is said to allow retention of 92% of capacity after 1,000 cycles. The terminal Voltage is reduced to 3.5 Volts, suggesting that this may be the way cycle life is extended.
A subsidiary of NEC, Tokin is said to have a polymer battery with 500,000 cycle life and also can be charged in seconds. Details were not available.
Batteries International, July 2004, p. 20
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(Dec. 2003) Eaton Corporation teams up with other global suppliers to build hybrid delivery truck to Fed Ex. Eaton will supply the engine, valves, cylinders and other basic parts while Hitachi will provide the Lithium-ion battery and Freightliner, a DaimlerChrysler subsidiary, will supply thetruck. The Environmental Defense, a New York advocacy group, created the project.
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(July, 2003) Lithium-ion and PV head for MarsJune is the month at which the travel distance to Mars is the shortest, allowing visitors to minimize launch fuel costs, maximize payloads and minimize transit time.
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(Sept 02) Sprint PCS Rolls Out 3G. Should Investors Care?
While the industry hopes that the Sprint introduction of 3G, behind Verizon and AT&T will be a shot in the arm for cellular, analysts from Lehman Brothers don’t see the business generating free cash flow because of its $16 billion debt. Pricing of the service works out to about $1.50 per megabyte. (Ed note: Using Sprint 3G would make one hi-res download of BD’s next issue cost about $10.00.) Contrarily, USB Warburg thinks the $4/share Sprint can have growth to $17/share. (09-02BD78-15)
Barron’s Technology Week, August 9, 2002, p.1
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(Sept 02) ThinSOT Step-Down Regulator Delivers 600 mA and 96% efficiency.
For product designers of single-cell Lithium-ion, multi-cell Alkaline or Nickel-metal hydride power packs with input ranges of from 2.5 to 5.5 Volts, this Linear Technology IC uses internal low-on-resistance switches to provide high efficiency conversion to maximize battery run time. The price at the 1,000 piece level is $1.95 each.(09-02BD78-12)
Battery Power Products and Technology, August 2002, p.1
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Battery Blues
The author has recorded possibly the first case of Lithium-ion ‘memory.’ In a Compaq iPaq3135, the unit repeatedly was draining its battery in 24 hour periods. According to this story, unidentified Pocket PC newsgroups and Web sites confirm the iPaq problem. Since the battery is not field replaceable, a replacement battery and replacement labor cost more than the selling price of the unit. (Ed note: BD used the word ‘memory’ above as a tongue-in-cheek description following the term used by the author of the story. The event does continue to highlight the need for buyer awareness of battery design problems in products, especially those which do not allow for battery replacement by the user. The author of this story comments that a PDA with a dead battery becomes a paperweight but does not explain what distinguishes a fully operational PDA from a paperweight either.)(08-02BD77-13)
EDN
July 11, 2002, p.33
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New Testing Requirements for Lithium and Lithium-ion Cells and Batteries
Inconsistent applications of current international transportation regulations pertaining to lithium and lithium -ion batteries and fires such as the Los Angeles International Airport primary lithium battery fire have caused the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety in the Department of Transportation’s Research and Special Programs Administration to develop new requirements for battery testing to be in effect after January 1, 2003. Requirements are designed to be consistent with U.N. Recommendations of the Transport for Dangerous Goods Model Regulations and other codes. A complete description of the U.N. tests is available at:
www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgcomm/
ac10rep/ac1027a2e.pdf.
A class 9 hazardous material designation for larger lithium and Lithium-ion batteries is also included; this may cause some problem for consumer product batteries.(08-02BD77-13)
Battery Power Products and Technology
July 2002, pp. 30-31
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Protective Solid Electrolyte Films for Thin Li-Ion Cells
Thin films of LiCO3 are proposed as thin passivating layers to prolong the shelf life and increase the specific energy of thin Lithium-ion cells. The material has been found to afford excellent passivation against reactions between electrolytes and anodes and provide excellent stability against oxidation at high Voltage.(07-02BD76-12)
NASA Tech Briefs
March 2002, p. 50
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Alkyl Pyrocorbonate Electrolyte Additives
for Li-ion Cells
The additives promote the formation of protective and conductive solid/electrolyte interface on the carbon anodes. The inteface is intended to exert a chemically protective effect on both the anode and the electrolytes, yet remain conductive to provide improved performance at low temperatures. The decomposition products of the additives promotes the formation of protective and conductive solid/electrolyte interfaces and contributes to the cycle life of the anodes.
NASA Tech Briefs
May 2002. pp. 37-38
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Fluorinated Alkyl Carbonates as Cosolvents
in Li-ion Cells
This work is directed to extend the low temperature operation. Fluorinated solvents are perceived to lead to safer cells because of their low flammability. The partially fluorinated carbonate cosolvents used in electrolytes exhibited high capacities at temperatures from -20 0C to -40 0C for both high rates of charge and discharge. The results suggest contributions to high specific energy, long lifetime and low temperature operation.
NASA Tech Briefs
May 2002, pp38-39
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BD
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