Battery Types
101 entries in the Battery Types compendium.
A
Alkali sulfur liquid batteryA single‑liquid flow battery using lithium‑sulfur chemistry for grid storage.Aluminium-ion batteryAluminium-ion batteries offer high energy density and improved safety.Aqueous batterySafer, cheaper aqueous batteries have been in use since the 1860s.Aqueous lithium-ion batteryA nonflammable lithium-ion battery using a water-based electrolyte.Automotive batteryRechargeable battery for starting, lighting, and ignition in motor vehicles.
B
Battery packA set of cells configured for desired voltage and current.Betavoltaic deviceA nuclear battery converting beta particles directly into electricity via semiconductors.Bunsen cellA zinc-carbon primary cell generating about 1.9 volts.BYD Blade batteryLFP blade cell improving space use, safety, and structural integrity.
C
Capacity lossCapacity loss reduces the charge a battery can deliver over time.Charge cycleA measure of battery life based on capacity usage.Chromic acid cellA primary cell using chromic acid as depolarizer, now of historical interest.Clark cellA wet-chemical cell that served as an early voltage standard.Concentration cellA galvanic cell generating voltage from concentration differences alone.
D
Daniell cellHistorical electrochemical cell that defined the volt.Depth of dischargeDepth of discharge describes how much capacity is removed from a battery.Dry cellA paste-electrolyte battery enabling portable devices without spillage.Dual carbon batteryA dual-carbon battery uses graphite for both electrodes and a lithium-salt electrolyte.
E
Earth batteryA water-activated battery using dissimilar metal electrodes in soil or sea.Edison–Lalande cellAn alkaline primary battery delivering large currents at low voltage.Electric vehicle batteryRechargeable battery powering electric and hybrid vehicles.EneloopLow self-discharge NiMH rechargeable batteries introduced by Sanyo in 2005.
F
Float voltageFloat voltage maintains full charge by compensating for self-discharge.Flow batteryFlow batteries store energy in liquid electrolytes for scalable, long-duration power.Fluoride batteryRechargeable battery using fluoride ions as charge carriers.Form EnergyIron-air battery for 100-hour grid storage at low cost.Frog batteryA series of frog legs used as an early biobattery.
G
Glass batterySolid-state battery using glass electrolyte and alkali metal electrodes.Graphene foamOpen-cell graphene foam for flexible, high-power battery electrodes.Grove cellEarly primary cell powering the American telegraph system.
H
High capacity oceanographic lithium battery packHigh-capacity lithium packs enable longer oceanographic deployments with stable voltage.Hydrogen–bromine batteryLow-cost flow battery using hydrogen bromide electrolyte with no emissions.
I
J
L
Lead–acid batteryFirst rechargeable battery, still widely used for surge currents.Lithium hybrid organic batteryHybrid organic-inorganic battery with improved capacity and cyclability.Lithium ion manganese oxide batteryA lithium-ion cell using manganese dioxide cathode with spinel structure.Lithium iron phosphate batteryA low-cost, safe, long-life lithium-ion battery chemistry.Lithium polymer batteryA rechargeable battery using a solid or gel polymer electrolyte.Lithium-ion batteryRechargeable battery using lithium-ion intercalation for energy storage.Lithium-ion flow batteryFlow battery using lightweight lithium as charge carrier, stored separately from discharge system.Lithium–air batteryHighest theoretical specific energy of any battery chemistry.Lithium–sulfur batteryRechargeable battery with high specific energy using lithium and sulfur.LMFP batteryLMFP batteries offer LFP cost with enhanced performance.
M
Magnesium batteryMagnesium batteries offer high volumetric energy and dendrite-free anodes.Magnesium sulfur batteryRechargeable battery using magnesium ions, offering high theoretical energy density.Mercury batteryPrimary cell with constant voltage and long shelf life.Microtubular membraneMicrotubular membranes support cell structure and enable high-power flow batteries.Molten-salt batteryHigh-energy molten-salt batteries for grid storage and industrial backup.
N
Nanoball batteriesExperimental nanoball batteries enable ultra-fast charging via nanotechnology.Nanopore batteryA rechargeable battery of billions of nanoscale pores.Nanowire batteryNanowire batteries increase electrode surface area to improve capacity.Nickel oxyhydroxide batteryPrimary cell with higher voltage for high-drain devices.Nickel–cadmium batteryRechargeable battery with steady voltage and high discharge capability.Nickel–hydrogen batteryRechargeable battery using gaseous hydrogen under high pressure.Nickel–iron batteryA robust, long-life rechargeable battery tolerant of abuse.Nickel–metal hydride batteryRechargeable battery with hydrogen-absorbing alloy negative electrode.Nickel–zinc batteryRechargeable battery with 1.6 V nominal voltage and high power density.
O
Optoelectric nuclear batteryNuclear battery converting radiation to light, then electricity via photovoltaics.Organic radical batteryOrganic radical batteries use stable radical polymers for power storage.
P
Penny batteryA voltaic pile made from coins and electrolyte-soaked paper.Photoflash batteryZinc-carbon cell optimized for brief, high-current flashbulb pulses.Polysulfide–bromide batteryA redox flow battery using sodium polysulfide and sodium bromide electrolytes.Potassium-ion batteryA potassium-based alternative to lithium-ion batteries.Primary batteryA non-rechargeable galvanic cell for single-use applications.ProLogiumTaiwanese solid-state battery developer with global automotive partnerships.
Q
R
Rechargeable alkaline batteryRechargeable alkaline batteries offer long shelf life and 1.5V output.Rechargeable batteryRechargeable batteries can be charged, discharged, and recharged many times.Recovery effectVoltage partially recovers when current is interrupted during discharge.Reserve batteryReserve batteries remain inert until activated, enabling long storage with minimal self-discharge.
S
Self-dischargeSelf-discharge reduces battery charge over time.Semi-solid flow batteryFlow battery using solid active materials suspended in liquid electrolyte.Semi-solid-state batteryA hybrid electrolyte battery balancing safety and performance between liquid and solid.Silver oxide batteryPrimary cell with silver oxide cathode and zinc anode.Silver zinc batteryHigh specific energy secondary cell using silver oxide and zinc.Silver–calcium batteryLead–acid battery with silver–calcium alloy grids for corrosion resistance.Smart batteryA rechargeable battery pack with built-in battery management system.Smart Battery SystemSpecification for smart battery management via SMBus communication.Sodium-ion batteryA rechargeable battery using sodium ions as charge carriers.Sodium–sulfur batteryMolten-salt battery using liquid sodium and sulfur for stationary storage.Solid dispersion redox flow batteryRedox flow battery using suspended solid active materials.Solid-state silicon batteryRechargeable lithium-ion battery with solid electrolyte and silicon anode.State of healthA figure of merit comparing battery condition to its ideal specifications.StoreDotDeveloper of fast-charging lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.Sugar batteryA biobattery fueled by maltodextrin with high energy density and low voltage.Sulfur selenium batteryA lighter, solid-state alternative to lithium-ion batteries with high energy density.
T
Tesla MegapackLarge-scale lithium-ion battery for utility energy storage.Tesla PowerpackRechargeable lithium-ion battery for commercial and utility energy storage.Tesla PowerwallRechargeable home battery for solar storage and backup.Thin-film lithium-ion batterySolid-state battery combining thin-film manufacturing with solid electrolyte advantages.Trickle chargingMaintains full charge by matching self-discharge rate.
U
V
Vanadium redox batteryRechargeable flow battery using vanadium ions as charge carriers.Voltaic pileThe first battery to provide continuous electric current.VRLA batteryA sealed lead-acid battery with immobilized electrolyte and pressure relief valve.
W
Z
Zamboni pileAn early electrostatic battery known for powering the Oxford Electric Bell.Zinc–bromine batteryRechargeable battery for stationary energy storage using zinc and bromine.Zinc–cerium batteryHigh-voltage aqueous flow battery using zinc and cerium.