Rabodon
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Lithium metal from LiPo (Notebook) batteries?
Hi!
I have ton's of LiPo cells (18650 type, 3,7V 2600mAh) from notebook batteries lying around. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YhCtlefonA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL-q1_P3C_8
Usually I'm using them on festivals to charge my phones and to hear music when camping etc., but I have much more than I need at the moment.
Any Idea if it's possible to get the Lithium out of battery (more or less) safely?
I've once obtained some Lithium from Energizer one-way batteries which was quite easy (hhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BliWUHSOalU) but LiPo
batteries are said to be the extremly dangerous
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz3hCqjk4yc
Has anyone experience with 18650 LiPo cells?
[Edited on 16-6-2014 by Rabodon]
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Brain&Force
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You can only get lithium out of the Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries. Unless you want to resort to electrolysis, there's no way to get lithium
metal.
Speaking of which, do those Energizer Advanced Lithium batteries work for extraction as well?
At the end of the day, simulating atoms doesn't beat working with the real things...
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Lambda-Eyde
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There's no lithium metal in Li-ion or LiPo batteries, only in batteries marketed as "lithium batteries".
This just in: 95,5 % of the world population lives outside the USA
Please drop by our IRC channel: #sciencemadness @ irc.efnet.org
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Zyklon-A
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Quote: Originally posted by Brain&Force  | You can only get lithium out of the Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries. Unless you want to resort to electrolysis, there's no way to get lithium
metal.
Speaking of which, do those Energizer Advanced Lithium batteries work for extraction as well? |
That's not true, I've found plenty of non-namebrand batteries which contain metallic lithium. Many of them are cheaper as well.
However, the batteries OP has do not contain Li. Rechargeable Li batteries contain compounds of lithium rather than elemental.
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Brain&Force
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There are non-name brand lithium batteries? I hope they're cheap. I thought Energizer was the only one making them.
[Edited on 18.6.2014 by Brain&Force]
At the end of the day, simulating atoms doesn't beat working with the real things...
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Rabodon
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Thank you for your answers!
I've googled around a lot and found that 18650 cells do contain LiMn2O4 or LiNiO2 or (in most cases-) LiCoO2 on aluminium foil as cathode and graphite
as anode. Check http://www.dissertations.se/dissertation/7f55f4f1e7/ for more scientifc stuff - or here's an interesting (but very unscientific  ) video how these batteries are made https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vBH6zlrXuM#t=230
Any idea what to do insteresting with that stuff (LiCoO2)? (Organic chemistry at best?)
[Edited on 18-6-2014 by Rabodon]
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luciusconscience
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I read in wikipedia about Li-ion batteries (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium-ion_battery) that: "While charging at temperatures below 0 °C, the negative electrode of the cells gets
plated with pure lithium"
It seems that the electrolyte they use allows one to electrolyze lithium metal without having to work with molten lithium salts or Castner cell. What
do you think? Is it possible to make lithium metal by electrolyzing lithium salts dissolved in ethylene carbonate (or whatever electrolyte those
batteries use)?
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Texium
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Hehe, sorry for the somewhat off-topic-ness, but I was just reminded to say that the first time I saw LiPo battery, I thought it meant
lithium-polonium. When I found out what they actually are, my feelings were a mixture of relief and disappointment.
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