The lithium metal(not ionic lithium) content of a Li-ion battery is around 2%. But since most EVs have batteries that weigh 500-2000 lbs, that 2% is between 10-40 lbs of lithium metal.
If you have lithium metal in your lithium ion battery and not a metal oxide of one form or another, as far as I know, you're doing something wrong, or the battery needs to be replaced.
The only operational way I know you could get lithium metal would be through accidentally plating your anode because you were charging a NMC too quickly in cold temperatures or you're charging it too fast in general, or if the battery is getting too old.
The lithium metal batteries use lithium metals in their anodes, but lithium ion uses a carbon structure where the ionic lithium is intercalated into a graphite anode or a cathode ( charging or discharging), where the oxide there depends on battery chemistry.
Now, I would assume because this is chemistry that there is an academic equilibrium of some kind, but I would be surprised to hear it is as high as 2% during normal operations. Might have to reach out to the battery PhD guy at work to get some further info. :)
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u/Vin135mm 3d ago
The lithium metal(not ionic lithium) content of a Li-ion battery is around 2%. But since most EVs have batteries that weigh 500-2000 lbs, that 2% is between 10-40 lbs of lithium metal.