High-power Li-ion batteries for electronic devices

Chinese battery technology developer Ampace is unveiling a new Jumbo Power (JP) lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery range.

Batteries are becoming increasingly ubiquitous in day-to-day life ranging from traditional household applications to powering many electronic devices, electric vehicles, and household and utility-scale energy storage.

This brings a plethora of new battery technologies, with Li-ion having emerged as the dominant chemistry for rechargeable batteries that can be delivered in varying form factors and scaled in a modular format to meet the different user demands.

Further, Li-ion itself is not a single technology. It encompasses a family of chemistries based on variations of the different constituents, which besides lithium can include graphite, vanadium, cobalt, manganese, copper, and, or nickel.

While the battery performance requirements can vary according to the application, the trends generally are towards higher power in smaller form factors with faster charging and increased cycle life, while maintaining high levels of safety in both production and use.

In addition, the production must be sustainable, and circularity addressed, to ensure recycling and, or reuse to maximise the use of the rare, high-value metal constituents and to minimise environmental damage.

“Technological innovation, high efficiency and energy saving are key for modern battery development,” says Dr Yuan Qingfeng, R&D Director of Ampace.

Ampace, founded as a joint venture between Amperex Technology Ltd (ATL) and CATL, is focussed on the end-to-end advanced lithium-ion battery business, from R&D to production, sales, and services, in three major markets, namely energy storage systems, micro-electric vehicles and battery-powered devices and equipment.

Headquartered in Xiamen in Fujian province, the company serving over 41 million customers in 29 countries and regions worldwide, has achieved several notable advances.

The JP series battery – performance for technical teams

Ampace’s latest product is the ‘Jumbo Power’ (JP) series of high-power lithium batteries.

Over the past 20 years, cordless electronic equipment such as drones, robots, and field and domestic power tools have rapidly developed and entered use in millions of households and businesses.

However, for such high-power applications ongoing challenges for users have included a limited run time, poor low-temperature performance and lengthy recharge time.

“In discussion with customers we found that power is always the top priority,” says Dr Yuan, noting the JP series as Ampace’s breakthrough to overcome these challenges and the JP40 as the first in the range.

The essential design requirements for the JP series were a high capacity, high discharge C rate, low-temperature increase in use and a long lifespan.

To deliver these, multiple innovations were needed in both the cell chemistry as well as in the cell structure design.

Among these was the development of an ultra-high nickel content cathode with a unique surface coating and doping technology to deliver the energy density breakthrough and structural stability and to support ultra-fast charging and discharging processes.

The anode materials comprise a new fast-charging graphite which can reduce the resistance during the charging process.

The fast-charging graphite reduces the resistance during the charging process to improve the battery charging speed, while the silicon-carbon composite with a unique metal enables buffering of the expansion stress to enhance the run time.

Regarding the structure, the JP’s tabless structure turns the entire cathode and anode current collector into tabs, solving the key issue of supporting the continuous discharge of larger currents while avoiding reaching the cutoff temperature of the battery.

By fully connecting all the tabs on the current collector plate, the internal resistance is significantly reduced, resulting in lower ohmic heat generation, and constraining the increase in the cell temperature.

With these innovations, the JP40 is designed in a cylindrical form factor to provide a significant leap in performance, including high-power continuous discharge up to 6 minutes with 40A and a continuous 5 seconds with as high as 140A pulse discharge to provide for smoother running operation.

Regarding battery life, the JP40 exceeds 600 cycles with more than 60% capacity retention, doubling the lifespan compared to conventional cylindrical cells and fast charging is supported to reach 80% capacity in 20 minutes – more than 25% time-saving. The low-temperature threshold extends to -20°C.

These advances together should prove beneficial towards optimising the tasks of utility field workers, who often are required to work against the clock in remote, hard-to-access locations and varying weather conditions with limited space for multiple toolsets.

Looking ahead

With the universal goal of a net zero world by 2050 clean and green energy solutions are propelling advancements across multiple industries with their need for rapid decarbonisation accompanied by large-scale electrification.

In response, Ampace, building on its high levels of safety, reliability, performance, and user experience, has been constantly innovating and evolving in line with user demands.

In addition to the JP series, Ampace has launched an all-in-one energy storage facility, the Ampace C5, for commercial and industrial users.

“With its innovative ‘No Cooling and All Temperature Range Control’, this product has achieved groundbreaking advancements in both structural design and battery cell technology,” says Dr Yuan.

Among the features, it has reduced operating costs by 46% compared to alternative sources over 10 years.

Furthermore, it sets a new benchmark in the commercial and industrial energy storage sector, offering unparalleled reliability and exceptional economic efficiency.

By diversifying the product lineup, Ampace aims to better meet more challenging demands of power systems and other users, who continue to seek the improvements in performance and cost-effectiveness that advanced Li-ion can deliver, the company promises.

“Stay tuned!”

About Ampace Technology

Ampace Technology Limited ("Ampace") is a globally acclaimed innovator in new energy technologies, committed to delivering green energy solutions with ultimate user experience to forge the world ahead and empower a better life. With its headquarters located in Xiamen, Fujian, and an investment exceeding CNY 10 billion, Ampace is built on an area over 111.33 hectares. The company is known for world-class R&D and manufacturing of a complete chain of Li-ion battery products from "Cell-Battery Pack-System Integration". In the realm of energy storage, e-mobility, power tools, vacuum cleaners, drones, and more, Ampace has established extensive strategic partnerships with industry leaders.

Visit Ampace Technology Ltd: https://www.ampacetech.com/en