Are lithium-ion batteries good at low temperature?

Modern technologies used in the sea, the poles, or aerospace require reliable batteries with outstanding performance at temperatures below zero degrees. However, commercially available lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) show significant performance degradation under low-temperature (LT) conditions.

What temperature should a lithium ion battery be operated at?

In addition, special batteries used in military fields and polar expedition should be capable down to −60 °C, and the low-temperature batteries for aerospace applications should be effectively operated under −80 °C (Fig. 1). However, the most suitable working temperature of LIBs is 15–35 °C.

Should batteries be tested at low temperatures?

Last but not the least, battery testing protocols at low temperatures must not be overlooked, taking into account the real conditions in practice where the battery, in most cases, is charged at room temperature and only discharged at low temperatures depending on the field of application.

Do lithium-ion batteries deteriorate under low-temperature conditions?

However, commercially available lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) show significant performance degradation under low-temperature (LT) conditions. Broadening the application area of LIBs requires an improvement of their LT characteristics.

What is the low-temperature operating range of a battery?

The low-temperature operating range of the battery is primarily limited by the liquid phase window of electrolytes. Due to the high melting point of commonly used carbonate solvents, the electrolyte solidifies below certain temperatures. The phase states of typical carbonate electrolytes are listed in Table 1 .

Why is lithium plating important for low-temperature batteries?

When the dendritic Li penetrates the separator, it will cause short circuit inside the battery, leading to thermal runaway and explosion [147, 148]. Therefore, early detection and prevention of lithium plating is extremely important for low-temperature batteries.