What is battery degradation?

This Insight provides clarity into the current state of knowledge on LIB degradation1 and identifies where further research might have the most significant impact. Battery degradation is a collection of events that leads to loss of performance over time, impairing the ability of the battery to store charge and deliver power.

What causes a lithium ion battery to degrade?

Figure 2 outlines the range of causes of degradation in a LIB, which include physical, chemical, mechanical and electrochemical failure modes. The common unifier is the continual loss of lithium (the charge currency of a LIB). 3 The amount of energy stored by the battery in a given weight or volume.

What factors affect a battery's rate of degradation?

Environmental Factors: The environment in which a battery operates can significantly influence its rate of degradation. Temperature extremes, both hot and cold, can be particularly damaging. At extreme low temperatures, the battery may seize to function temporarily.

What causes a battery to degrade over time?

Second, the electrolyte within the battery can break down, forming a solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer on the anode. This layer consumes Li ions and increases internal resistance. Finally, the battery materials themselves can degrade over time due to exposure to air and moisture.

What is battery deterioration?

Battery degradation refers to the progressive reduction in a battery's ability to store and supply energy as time passes. As the battery deteriorates over time, its capacity to store energy diminishes, resulting in less effectiveness in powering devices. Battery deterioration is an inherent phenomenon that impacts all rechargeable batteries.

What causes a battery to decompose?

Thermal events can destabilise the SEI and cause it to decompose and compromise the battery’s safety. An electrically insulating porous layer in a LIB that prevents the anode and cathode touching, which would cause a short circuit. State-of-health is a measure of the condition of a battery, compared to its ideal condition.