Electrochemical battery cell
Electrochemical battery cell
An electrochemical reaction is a chemical reaction that occurs between the electrode and electrolyte. A battery is made up of a plurality of electrochemical cells connected in series and/or in parallel and assembled together in a common container. An electrochemical cell is composed of electrodes and electrolyte. Electrochemical cells may be classified as either electrolysis cells or fuel cells. Electrolysis cells act as hydrogen generators by electrolytically decomposing water to produce hydrogen and oxygen gases. Fuel cells function by electrochemically reacting a fuel gas such as hydrogen with an oxidant gas such as air or oxygen to generate electricity. A battery pack consists of one or more electrochemical cells or batteries, wherein each cell typically includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte or other material for facilitating movement of ionic charge carriers between the negative electrode and positive electrode. Electrochemical batteries classically include pairs of oppositely charged plates, and an intervening electrolyte to convey ions from one plate to the other when the circuit through the battery is completed. Multicell batteries that are constructed in a broad range of electrochemical systems are typically packaged in cylindrical or prismatic housings. Individual cells are connected in series by conductive links to make the multi-cell batteries. Rechargeable lithium batteries are the result of recent advances in the field of electrochemical cells. The advantageous characteristics of such electrochemical cells include light weight, long service life, relatively high energy densities and high specific energies. Lithium ion polymer battery cells utilize electrode element comprising flexible sheets of polymeric composition in which are dispersed finely-divided particulate materials capable of reversibly intercalating lithium ions during battery charge/discharge cycles.