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Difference between Lithium Ion and Lead Acid Battery
A battery is a crucial component of any portable electronic device. The battery provides electrical energy required to power the device. It basically performs some chemical reactions to produce electrical electric energy.
Batteries are broadly classified into two types namely, rechargeable batteries and non-rechargeable batteries. In this article, we will explore two commonly used types of rechargeable batteries namely, Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) Battery and Lead Acid Battery and their important differences.
The fundamental difference between a lithium-ion battery and a lead acid battery is that a lithium-ion battery uses lithium salt in an organic solvent as the electrolyte, whereas a lead acid battery uses a mixture of sodium metasilicate and sulfuric acid solution as the electrolyte.
Read this article to learn more about Li-Ion battery and Lead Acid battery and how they are different from each other.
What is a Lithium Ion Battery?
Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) Battery is a kind of rechargeable battery that has lithium ions as the primary charge carries. A Li-Ion battery typically consists of two main components namely, electrodes and electrolyte. It has two electrodes namely, anode and cathode. The anode is generally made up of graphite and the cathode is made of lithium metal oxide. The electrolyte acts as a separator that prevent direct contact between the anode and the cathode and allows the flow of lithium ions through it.
The lithium ions move between the anode and the cathode through the electrolyte during charging and discharging processes. During charging process, the lithium ions move from the cathode to the anode, and during discharging process, the lithium ions move from the anode to the cathode.
Li-Ion batteries are mainly known for their high energy density, longer battery life, lower self-discharge rate, etc. Although, they also have some limitations, such as high sensitivity to overcharging and high temperatures, that require proper charging circuit.
Li-Ion batteries are mainly used in a wide range of portable devices, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, automotives, etc.
What is a Lead Acid Battery?
Lead Acid Battery is another kind of rechargeable battery, invented by the French scientist Gaston Plante in the year of 1859. Similar to any other type of battery, the lead acid battery also consists of two main components namely, electrodes and electrolyte. The positive electrode is made up of lead dioxide, while the negative electrode is made up of lead. The electrolyte used in a lead acid battery is sulphuric acid. The sulphuric acid electrolyte allows the electrochemical reactions to take place within the battery to produce electrical energy.
During discharging period, the lead dioxide on the positive electrode and the lead on the negative electrode react with the sulphuric acid electrolyte to release free electrons. These electrons establish an electric current in the external circuit to power the load device.
During charging, an external current is made to pass through the battery which converts the lead sulfate into the lead dioxide on the positive electrode and the lead on the negative electrode. Hence, it restores the charge in the battery.
Lead acid batteries are capable to produce high surge currents, making them better to use in applications where sudden high power is required, like to start the engine of a vehicle. Lead acid battery are also used in a wide range of applications like in automobiles, UPS systems, electric power grids, renewable energy systems, etc.
Difference between Lithium Ion Battery and Lead Acid Battery
The important differences between lead acid battery and lithium-ion battery are highlighted in the following table −
Parameter |
Lithium Ion Battery |
Lead Acid Battery |
|---|---|---|
Basic |
Lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery is a type of rechargeable battery that has “lithium” as its key active material. |
Lead acid battery is a type of rechargeable battery that has “lead” as its main active material. |
Construction |
Li-Ion battery consists of a positive electrode made up of a metal oxide, a negative electrode made up of graphite, and an electrolyte of lithium salt in an organic solvent. |
Lead acid battery consists of a positive electrode made up of lead dioxide, a negative electrode made up of pure lead, and an electrolyte of sulphuric acid. |
Energy density |
Li-Ion battery has higher energy density that means it can store more energy per unit volume or weight. |
Lead acid battery has comparatively lower energy density that means it is able to store less amount of energy per unit volume or weight. |
Voltage per cell |
Li-Ion battery has a voltage of 3.7 volts per cell. |
Lead acid battery has a voltage per cell between 2.25 to 2.27 volts. |
Cost |
Li-Ion batteries are comparatively more expensive. |
Lead acid batteries are less expensive than li-ion batteries. |
Weight |
Li-ion batteries are lighter. |
Lead acid batteries are heavier. |
Size |
Li-ion battery has comparatively smaller size. |
Lead acid battery has bigger size. |
Efficiency |
Li-ion batteries are more efficient. |
Lead acid batteries are less efficient. |
Need of integrated controller |
Li-ion batteries require an integrated controller for charging and discharging. |
Lead acid batteries do not require any integrated controller for charging and discharging. |
Lifespan |
Li-ion batteries have relatively longer lifespan. |
Lead acid batteries have shorter lifespan. |
Maintenance |
Li-ion batteries require less maintenance. |
Lead acid battery require regular maintenance. |
Risk of explosion |
Li-ion batteries have negligible chances to catch fire and explosion. |
Lead acid batteries might catch fire and explode. |
Impact on environment |
Li-ion batteries have lower impact on environment. |
Lead acid batteries are more harmful for environment. |
Ventilation |
Li-ion batteries do not require ventilation. |
Lead acid batteries require ventilation. |
Applications |
Li-ion batteries are widely used in portable devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc. |
Lead acid batteries are mainly used in automobiles, UPS systems, electric power grid, etc. |
Conclusion
Both lithium-ion and lead acid batteries are types of rechargeable batteries. The most significant difference between li-ion battery and lead acid battery is that a li-ion battery uses lithium as its key active material, while a lead acid battery uses lead and sulphuric acid as its main active materials. Another significant difference is a lead battery has higher energy density than a lead acid battery, allowing it to store more energy per unit volume or weight.
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