Prismatic vs Pouch vs Cylindrical Lithium Ion Battery Cell - Grepow

Lithium-ion batteries have become the energy storage solution of choice for a myriad of applications, ranging from portable electronics to electric vehicles and renewable energy systems. Within the realm of lithium-ion technology, there are various cell designs, each with its unique characteristics and applications. In this article, we delve into the world of prismatic, pouch, and cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells, comparing their structures, advantages, and use cases.

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What is a Prismatic Cell in a Lithium Battery?

A prismatic cell is a type of lipo battery cell that is characterized by its rectangular or square shape. Unlike cylindrical cells, which are tubular, lithium prismatic cells have a flat and often stackable design. The electrode materials are typically arranged in layers, and the cell is enclosed in a sturdy metal casing. These cells are often used in applications where space efficiency is crucial, as their flat shape allows for better packaging in certain devices. It's important to note that lithium ion prismatic cells are just one of several form factors available for lithium-ion batteries. Each form factor has its own advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of cell type depends on the specific requirements of the application.

Advantages of Prismatic Cells

◆Space Efficiency: Prismatic cells are known for their space-efficient design, making them ideal for applications with limited space constraints.

◆Stackability: The flat shape of lithium prismatic cells allows for easy stacking, enabling the creation of battery packs with higher energy density.

◆Enhanced Thermal Performance: The flat design aids in heat dissipation, contributing to improved thermal performance.

What is a Pouch Lithium-ion Battery Cell?

A pouch lithium-ion battery cell, also known as a flexible or flat-cell battery, is a type of lithium-ion battery that features a flexible, flat, and pouch-like design. Unlike traditional cylindrical or prismatic cells, pouch cells are generally made by laminating flat electrodes and separators, then sealing them in a flexible, heat-sealed pouch or bag made of a flexible material, often aluminum or other polymers.

Advantages of Pouch Cells

◆Flexibility and Adaptability: Pouch cell battery can be molded into various shapes, making them highly adaptable to irregular spaces and unconventional designs.

◆Weight Reduction: The absence of a rigid casing reduces the overall weight of the cell, making lithium ion pouch cells a preferred choice for applications where weight is a critical factor.

◆Cost-Effectiveness: The manufacturing process for lithium ion pouch cells is often simpler and less resource-intensive, contributing to cost savings.

What is a Cylindrical Lithium-ion Battery?

A cylindrical lithium-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery that has a cylindrical shape. These batteries consist of a cylindrical metal casing that houses the internal components, including the positive and negative electrodes, separator, and electrolyte. The most common type of cylindrical lithium-ion battery is the cell, named for its dimensions: 18 millimeters in diameter and 65 millimeters in length. While the cell is the most well-known, there are other cylindrical cell form factors, such as and cells, each with different dimensions and specifications.

Advantages of Cylindrical Cells

◆Proven Reliability: Cylindrical lithium ion battery cells have been in use for a long time and have a proven track record of reliability and safety.

◆Ease of Manufacturing: The cylindrical design lends itself to mass production, leading to economies of scale and lower manufacturing costs.

◆Widespread Applications: Cylindrical lithium ion battery cells are commonly found in a wide range of applications, including consumer electronics, power tools, and electric vehicles.

Prismatic vs Pouch vs Cylindrical Lithium-ion Battery Cell

Prismatic, pouch, and cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells are three common form factors used in various applications. Each type has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of form factor depends on the specific requirements of the application. Here's a brief comparison:

◆Space Efficiency

Prismatic cells are known for space efficiency due to their flat design.

Pouch cells offer adaptability to various shapes and sizes.

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Cylindrical cells are compact and easy to stack, making them efficient for specific applications.

◆Flexibility

Prismatic cells are less flexible due to their rigid shape.

Pouch cells are highly flexible and can adapt to unconventional spaces.

Cylindrical cells are moderately flexible but less adaptable to irregular shapes.

◆Weight

Prismatic cells have a moderate weight, depending on the materials used.

Pouch cells are lightweight due to their flexible packaging.

Cylindrical cells have a moderate weight, influenced by the metal casing.

◆Cost

Prismatic cells may have higher manufacturing costs due to their specialized design.

Pouch cells are often cost-effective, thanks to a simpler manufacturing process.

Cylindrical cells benefit from economies of scale and widespread use, contributing to cost-effectiveness.

Conclusion

In the ever-evolving landscape of lithium-ion battery technology, the choice between prismatic, pouch, and cylindrical cells depends on the specific requirements of the application. Each design offers unique advantages, and manufacturers carefully consider factors such as space constraints, flexibility, weight, and cost to determine the most suitable cell type for a given purpose. As technology advances, innovations in lithium-ion cell design continue to drive progress in energy storage solutions across diverse industries. As a global leader in lithium battery cell manufacturing, Grepow offers professional customization solutions for lithium-ion battery packs and Battery Management Systems (BMS), catering to your specific application requirements. If you have any questions or needs, please feel free to contact us at . 

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It was not until the early s that the first non-rechargeable lithium batteries became commercially available. Attempts to develop rechargeable lithium batteries followed in the s but the endeavor failed because of instabilities in the metallic lithium used as anode material.

Lithium is the lightest of all metals, has the greatest electrochemical potential and provides the largest specific energy per weight. Rechargeable batteries with lithium metal on the anode (negative electrodes) could provide extraordinarily high energy densities, however, cycling produced unwanted dendrites on the anode that could penetrate the separator and cause an electrical short. The cell temperature would rise quickly and approaches the melting point of lithium, causing thermal runaway, also known as “venting with flame.”

The inherent instability of lithium metal, especially during charging, shifted research to a non-metallic solution using lithium ions. Although lower in specific energy than lithium-metal, Li-ion is safe, provided cell manufacturers and battery packers follow safety measures in keeping voltage and currents to secure levels. In , Sony commercialized the first Li-ion battery, and today this chemistry has become the most promising and fastest growing on the market. Meanwhile, research continues to develop a safe metallic lithium battery in the hope to make it safe.

In , it cost more than $10 to manufacture Li-ion in the * cylindrical cell delivering a capacity of 1,100mAh. In , the price dropped to $2 and the capacity rose to 1,900mAh. Today, high energy-dense cells deliver over 3,000mAh and the costs have dropped further. Cost reduction, increase in specific energy and the absence of toxic material paved the road to make Li-ion the universally acceptable battery for portable application, first in the consumer industry and now increasingly also in heavy industry, including electric powertrains for vehicles.

In , roughly 38 percent of all batteries by revenue were Li-ion. Li-ion is a low-maintenance battery, an advantage many other chemistries cannot claim. The battery has no memory and does not need exercising to keep in shape. Self-discharge is less than half compared to nickel-based systems. This makes Li-ion well suited for fuel gauge applications. The nominal cell voltage of 3.6V can power cell phones and digital cameras directly, offering simplifications and cost reductions over multi-cell designs. The drawback has been the high price, but this leveling out, especially in the consumer market.Figure 1: Ion flow in lithium-ion battery
When the cell charges and discharges, ions shuttle between cathode (positive electrode) and anode (negative electrode). On discharge, the anode undergoes oxidation, or loss of electrons, and the cathode sees a reduction, or a gain of electrons. Charge reverses the movement.

All materials in a battery possess a theoretical specific energy, and the key to high capacity and superior power delivery lies primarily in the cathode. For the last 10 years or so, the cathode has characterized the Li-ion battery. Common cathode material are Lithium Cobalt Oxide (or Lithium Cobaltate), Lithium Manganese Oxide (also known as spinel or Lithium Manganate), Lithium Iron Phosphate, as well as Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt (or NMC)** and Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide (or NCA).

Sony’s original lithium-ion battery used coke as the anode (coal product), and since most Li-ion batteries use graphite to attain a flatter discharge curve. Developments also occur on the anode and several additives are being tried, including silicon-based alloys. Silicon achieves a 20 to 30 percent increase in specific energy at the cost of lower load currents and reduced cycle life. Nano-structured lithium-titanate as anode additive shows promising cycle life, good load capabilities, excellent low-temperature performance and superior safety, but the specific energy is low.

Mixing cathode and anode material allows manufacturers to strengthen intrinsic qualities; however, an enhancement in one area may compromise something else. Battery makers can, for example, optimize specific energy (capacity) for extended runtime, increase specific power for improved current loading, extend service life for better longevity, and enhance safety for strenuous environmental exposure, but, the drawback on higher capacity is reduced loading; optimization for high current handling lowers the specific energy, and making it a rugged cell for long life and improved safety increases battery size and adds to the cost due to a thicker separator. The separator is said to be the most expensive part of a battery.

Table 2 summarizes the characteristics of Li-ion with different cathode material. The table limits the chemistries to the four most commonly used lithium-ion systems and applies the short form to describe them. NMC stands for nickel-manganese-cobalt, a chemistry that is relatively new and can be tailored for high capacity or high current loading. Lithium-ion-polymer is not mentioned as this is not a unique chemistry and only differs in construction. Li-polymer can be made in various chemistries and the most widely used format is Li-cobalt.