What is the difference between lithium ion batteries and li polymer batteries?

As common energy storage technologies in modern electronic devices, the core differences between lithium ion batteries and li polymer batteries are mainly reflected in materials and structural design. Lithium ion batteries use liquid electrolytes as ion-conducting media, and are usually wrapped in metal shells. This design enables them to have high energy density and stable output performance, and are widely used in smart phones, laptops and other fields. However, the presence of liquid electrolytes also leads to certain safety hazards in lithium ion batteries, such as electrolyte leakage or high-temperature expansion problems in extreme cases.

In contrast, li polymer batteries use solid or colloidal polymer electrolytes instead of traditional liquid media. This material property enables them to be made into thinner flexible structures, thereby adapting to the form requirements of wearable devices or ultra-thin electronic products. In addition, due to the solid-state characteristics of the electrolyte, li polymer batteries perform better in impact resistance and high-temperature stability, reducing the risk of short circuit or combustion.

Although lithium polymer batteries have advantages in safety and form adaptability, their energy density is usually slightly lower than that of lithium ion batteries, and their manufacturing costs are relatively high. For example, in high-power scenarios such as drones or electric vehicles, lithium ion batteries still dominate due to their cost-effectiveness and mature industrial chain. Lithium-polymer batteries, on the other hand, are more widely used in areas that are sensitive to device size and weight, such as foldable screen phones or micro sensors, due to their light, flexible physical properties.

It is worth noting that the difference between the two in terms of charging efficiency and cycle life is small, but li polymer batteries may be more stable in high-rate discharge scenarios due to their material properties. In general, lithium ion batteries and li polymer batteries have their own characteristics, and their selection needs to be combined with the needs of actual application scenarios, taking into account multiple factors such as performance, safety and cost.