Lithium-Titanate: Is This the Big One?

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Lithium-titanate batteries have quite a pedigree from the past. Or should we say a reputation. The Titans of mythologogy  possessed unbelievable strength capable of lifting the earth to the sky. Well we did say imagination!

By the same token the astronomer James Herschel named Saturn’s largest moon Titan. Titan has stable bodies of liquid under a dense atmosphere, which is interesting. Getting closer to the topic, titanium is a lustrous, silvery, lightweight metal with a high strength-to-weight ratio.

What Exactly Is Lithium-Titanate

lithium-titanate
Honda EV-neo: Thesupermat: CC 3.0

The chemical name for lithium-titanate is Li2TiO3. Uniquely, this formula confirms it is a compound containing lithium and titanium, with a splash of oxygen.

We are done with dusting off our chemistry schoolbook. You could discover more about lithium-titanate here.

The compound’s primary use is as an anode in rechargeable lithium-titanate batteries. In the first place, compared to lithium-li the anode is no longer carbon. The product also recharges much faster. As a result, large TOSA electricity buses are partly recharging batteries in 15 seconds while passengers are getting off and on. On the downside, the product has lower capacity.

Can I Put a Lithium Titanate Battery in My Smart Phone?

lithium-titanaye
Mitsubishi i MiEV: Hatsukari715: Public Domain

It follows that Li2TiO3 batteries are generally unsuited to consumer goods. This is on account of the smaller amount of energy they store. Seiko automatic quartz watches are an exception. The company is using the batteries to store power instead of capacitors.

More importantly we find lithium titanate technology increasingly in electric vehicle batteries. Examples include the Honda EV-neo bike, and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV car. Altairnano, Leclanché, Toshiba, Seiko, and Yabo are all producing rechargeable lithium-titanate storage batteries. These are for a variety of electric vehicles. In time, we hope to see more of them in consumer electronics and wearables. Right now, the ‘Titans’ are mainly making bigger batteries

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About Author

I tripped over a shrinking bank balance and fell into the writing gig unintentionally. This was after I escaped the corporate world and searched in vain for ways to become rich on the internet by doing nothing. Despite the fact that writing is no recipe for wealth, I rather enjoy it. I will not deny I am obsessed with it when I have the time. I live in Margate on the Kwazulu-Natal south coast of South Africa. I work from home where I ponder on the future of the planet, and what lies beyond in the great hereafter. Sometimes I step out of my computer into the silent riverine forests, and empty golden beaches for which the area is renowned. Richard

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