For the positive electrode
The life of a battery under normal use is around 500 to 900 charge-discharge cycles. This is between one and a half to three years of battery life for the average user. As the rechargeable battery begins to fail the running time of the battery will begin to drain. When a Fujitsu FPCBP155 Battery can supply only around 30 minutes of charge, it is time for a replacement.
Other advantages of Lithium Ion batteries, the like of which is your Sony laptop Apple A1012 Battery, include a high energy density (the highest when compared with other battery technologies), lack of a memory effect which affects Nickel batteries (this effect is evidenced by the charging cycle being affected by the memory of the last discharging cycle), design flexibility (including coming in all sizes and shapes, the very ability which makes it possible to have different battery sizes and capacities for all kinds of Sony laptops).
Asus A42-A3 Battery are comprised of cells that employ lithium intercalation compounds as the positive and negative materials. As a battery is cycled, lithium ions (Li+) exchange between the positive and negative electrodes. They are also referred to as rockingchair batteries as the lithium ions “rock” back and forth between the positive and negative electrodes as the cell is charged and discharged. The positive electrode material is typically a metal oxide with a layered structure, such as lithium cobalt oxide (LiCo02), or a material with a tunneled structure, such as lithium manganese oxide (LiMn20 4), on a current collector of aluminum foil. The negative electrode material is typically a graphitic carbon, also a layered material, on a copper current collector. In the charge/ discharge process, lithium ions are inserted or extracted from interstitial space between atomic layers within the active materials.
Figure 1: Li?ion discharge characteristics. The graphite Acer UM09B73 Battery only needs to discharge to 3.0V/cell, whereas the coke version must be discharged to 2.5V/cell to achieve similar performance.
For the positive electrode (cathode), two distinct chemistries have emerged. They are cobalt and manganese, also know as spinel. Whereas the cobalt has been in use longer, spinel is inherently safer and more forgiving if abused. Protection circuits can be simplified or even eliminated Toshiba PA3356U-1BRS Battery. Small prismatic spinel packs for mobile phones may only include a thermal fuse and temperature sensor. In addition to the added safety, the raw material cost for manganese is lower than cobalt.
As a trade-off, the spinel offers a slightly lower energy density, suffers capacity loss at temperature above 40oC and ages quicker than cobalt. Figure 2 compares the advantages and disadvantages of the two chemistries laptop batteries.