Do you know how many LiPo types are there in the world?
Most people know LiPo battery by RC model toys and mobile phones, because these two applications are using the biggest quantity of LiPo every year. Actually, they are just part of the whole LiPo family.Besides them, there are many more different LiPo members there, as below:
LiPo battery by shape:
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Square shape LiPo battery:
Most LiPo are designed to be with this shape, it’s the most popular shape for it so far,because it’s the easiest way to produce it.
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Round shape:
This shape is full moon shape, just like a flat button,always designed to replace button batteries for LiPo’s great energy density and high discharge current features, what’s more, its rechargeable, people can save money and time to replace the old wasted primary button batteries.
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Cylindrical shape:
Obviously, it’s always designed for electrical digital cigarettes, which is the same shape. For a tube like product, the best is to use a cylinder battery.
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Curving shape:
In recent years, more and more smart wearable devices were developed and launched to global consumer market, these products has high requirement for battery shape, because they are always made curved to fit human body.For example, the smart rings, smart glass, smart bracelets,interlectual watch, and some health monitoring bands.
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Moon-like shape:
It’s like a loop, this type LiPo cells are always for bluetooth and headphones to fit their specia shapes.
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Other noval shapes:
Actually,LiPo can be designed to much more different shapes, but for these strange shapes, they are increasing the difficulty of mass production, which means a cost increase. So, this type is seldom used.
LiPo battery by thickness
There are only two types, one is normal standard LiPo with thickness of 2mm~15mm, the other one is called ultra thin battery with thickness of 0.4mm~2mm. Ultra thin LiPo battery is for many smart cards products.
LiPo battery by discharge rate
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Normal discharge rate type:
Most LiPo batteries are designed to be this type, they have standard discharge ability, continuous discharge/charge current is generally recommended to be 0.2C, Peak discharge rate is most time 2C.
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High discharge rate type:
Most RC models, such as the RC helicopter, RC planes, UVA, Drones,RC boats,RC cars, some racing motorcycles are using the high rate discharge LiPo battery.Why? Because these applications all require very big discharge current, this is what the high rate discharge LiPo be good at.
LiPo battery by operating temperatures
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Normal temperature LiPo battery:
As all we know, it’s just normal lithium polymer battery what we always use in smart phones,mp3,ebikes,bluetooth headsets.Their operating range is -20C~+60C, charging temperature range is 0C~45C.Its’s not recommended to use them under too low or too high temperatures.
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Low temperature LiPo battery:
This battery is to sove the problems of using LiPo under very low temperatures. After using special electrolytes and different manufacturing process, the new LiPo battery can fit the needs of operating under low temperatures very well, they can work with -40C, even -50C low temperature environment, really great news for those who needs to work or be explosed to outdoor in freezingly cold seasons.
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High temperature LiPo battery:
Obviously, this type is to fit needs of working under high temperatures, when people needs to use their applications under constant high temperature such as 50C, 60C or even higher degrees, they must use a professional high temperature battery which supports safe use under at most 85C, even 90C.
LiPo battery by materials and technology
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Lithium cobalt oxide type:
This is the major type among all, with pure cobalt material in positive. Most time, they are for small scale applications, it has great advantages on cycle life, stable operating voltage,high energy density.
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NCM type:
This type combines the advantages of Nickle,Cobalt,Mangnese materials, and get a balance on performances. It’s more ecnomical and safer to be used for big capacity high power devices. Most time they are used in electrical vehicles and solar power storage projects.
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Lithium mangnese oxide type:
This type use the mangnese material as the positive, always be used for some ebikes,electrical motors, it has good advantage on cost, but the energy density is lower than Cobalt type and NCM type.
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Lithium iron phosphate type:
This type is sometimes called LiFePO4 polymer battery, they use Lihium iron phosphate material, has advantages on the high temperature discharging performance and long cycle life. It’s cycle life is about 1000~2000times, much longer than normal LiPo battery whoes cycle life is 300~500 times. but it’s energy density and nominal voltage is much lower.