Polymer lithium batteries will be a new power source for future battlefields.

Polymer lithium batteries will be a new power source for future battlefields.

As a new generation rechargeable power source, polymer lithium batteries have the advantages of high energy density, high operating voltage, wide operating temperature range, long cycle life, and high safety performance. They are currently the mainstream development direction of rechargeable batteries. It also has the characteristics of low maintenance requirements and no memory effect. It can be charged and discharged at any time during combat, and requires almost no battlefield maintenance, reducing logistical burden. Therefore, it has received attention and development from military forces of various countries. In recent years, polymer lithium batteries have been widely used in military equipment such as individual combat systems, submarines, drones, and aerospace vehicles, demonstrating broad application prospects in land, sea, air, and space fields.

The advantages of polymer lithium batteries are irreplaceable
Polymer lithium batteries are a new generation of rechargeable batteries after traditional batteries such as nickel hydrogen batteries. They were first developed by Sony Corporation in Japan in 1990. Polymer lithium batteries have a simple working principle, good safety, and a long charge and discharge life, and are considered the first choice for new power sources.
Polymer lithium batteries have the following advantages in military applications. The working voltage is high. The discharge voltage of one polymer lithium battery is equivalent to that of three traditional batteries, greatly reducing battery usage under the same conditions of use. High energy density. It is 2 to 3 times larger than ordinary batteries, and with its small size and light weight, it has irreplaceable advantages for field portable electronic devices. Long cycle life. The service life is as long as 10 to 15 years, which reduces the impact of high cost compared to traditional batteries that last for 7 to 8 years. No environmental pollution. Free from heavy metals such as lead and mercury, it is a clean and "green" energy source. No memory effect. It can be charged and discharged freely, especially showing excellent performance in wartime and emergency situations. Low maintenance rate. Almost no maintenance is required, reducing the logistical burden during wartime. In addition, it has the advantages of high safety performance and wide working temperature range.

In recent years, countries have vigorously developed polymer lithium batteries as a new type of battery to replace traditional batteries. The new polymer lithium batteries have many characteristics and demonstrate irreplaceable advantages in portable electronic device applications.

Tend to be flexible and lightweight. With the increasing number of miniaturized, portable, and wearable electronic devices, power sources that are compatible with them are required to have the characteristics of light weight, small size, high specific energy, and arbitrary deformation. Polymer lithium batteries have become the preferred power source for these electronic devices due to their excellent performance. In 2013, the US military developed a stretchable polymer lithium battery that can be integrated into watch wristbands to power devices such as individual smartwatches. Japan has launched a new flexible ultra-thin polymer lithium battery that maintains stable power output even after bending and folding. Another technological highlight of this battery is the use of wireless charging technology, which eliminates the need for a specially designed battery installation area for wearable devices.

The energy density continues to increase. One major factor promoting the development of polymer lithium batteries is the application of emerging battery materials. In recent years, with the application of various new electrode materials, the key performance of polymer lithium batteries, such as energy density, cycle life, and stability, has been greatly improved. In addition, multiple technological breakthroughs have been made in the manufacturing process of polymer lithium batteries. The new high-temperature resistant all solid state polymer lithium battery in Japan still has good conductivity in a high temperature environment of 150 ℃, which expands the application range of polymer lithium batteries. The United States can use spray coating technology to manufacture polymer lithium batteries on a large scale, which can form batteries on almost all surfaces of objects, further improving the ability to guarantee battlefield energy.

Technological breakthroughs have been made in security performance. High safety is the rigid requirement of military equipment for polymer lithium batteries, ensuring absolute safety when subjected to high-intensity strikes and impacts. This is mainly achieved through the use of high safety materials and optimization of battery structures. In January 2017, Stanford University in the United States developed a miniature "smart" fiber containing flame retardants that can be inserted between the electrodes of a battery to prevent the battery from short circuiting and catching fire. In the test, when the temperature of the polymer lithium battery reaches 160 ℃ or above, the flame retardant will be released into the electrolyte to ensure the safety of the battery.