Alkaline Battery Vs. Lithium: Comparative Analysis

You cannot ignore the importance that batteries possess in our daily lives. They play an essential role in powering a lot of household devices. When it comes to the right battery selection. Insufficient knowledge often confuses people to select which one between Alkaline battery vs. lithium.

No worries because this guide offers in-depth insights into each aspect of this lithium vs. alkaline batteries. The main elements include composition, size, cost, lifespan, type, capacity, power generation, etc. Sounds interesting? Read more to uncover facts!

Alkaline Battery vs. Lithium Composition

Alkaline Battery Composition

The primary construction material of alkaline batteries is steel. It also contains minute amounts of plastic, zinc, graphite, and paper.

  1. Cathode Composition: MgO (Magnesium Oxide)
  2. Anode Composition: Zn (OH)2 (Zinc Hydroxide)
  3. Electrolyte Composition: KOH (Potassium Hydroxide)
  4. Separator Composition: Non-woven Sheets of Polyamide/ Polypropylene/ Nylon

Lithium Battery Composition

Four primary construction material exists when it comes to lithium battery. These are:

  1. Anode Composition: C (Graphite)
  2. Cathode Composition: LiCoO2 (Lithium Cobalt Oxide)
  3. Electrolyte Composition: LiBr (Lithium Bromide), LiPF6 (Lithium Hexafluorophosphate)
  4. Separator Composition: (CH2CHR)n Polyolefin

Lithium Battery vs. Alkaline Key Differences

1.   Alkaline Battery VS Lithium – Size Difference

Alkaline Battery

There exist seven different sizes when you are going to choose alkaline batteries.

Lithium Battery

Lithium battery sizes for your consideration are:

2.   Type Difference

Alkaline Battery vs. Lithium

Alkaline battery lies among the primary class of batteries. This means you cannot recharge them. You can restore some batteries, but not up to 30 times. This means you throw off most alkaline batteries only after complete drainage.

These batteries refer to the rechargeable class of batteries or secondary class batteries. You can drain and reuse these batteries for more than 500 cycles.

3.   Capacity Difference

Alkaline Battery

The term capacity refers to the energy a battery can store within. The alkaline battery has a capacity lie in the range of 800 to 1200 mAh.

To elaborate on this, consider a battery having 400 mAh capacity. The battery can supply 400 milli ampere per hour—or 200 milli ampere for approximately two hours.

Alkaline batteries lose 5% of their energy daily, even when unused. You can see the Difference in the image alkaline vs lithium AA battery.

Lithium Battery

On the other hand, lithium batteries have higher capacity than Alkaline batteries. The power of this battery is more than 1200 mAh.

Besides this, these batteries also feature a significantly slower self-discharge. You can get a constant amount of energy while using this battery.

4.   Lithium Battery Vs. Alkaline – Voltage Difference

Lithium Battery Vs. Alkaline

When you consider the voltage of alkaline batteries, it is low. The alkaline battery cell features only 1.5V for a single cell. On the other hand, the lithium battery cell features 1.5V up to 3.0V or even 3.6V.

Alkaline battery cell does not cater to the need for high-voltage batteries. At the same time, lithium battery cell caters to the requirements of high-voltage batteries. So, choose lithium over an alkaline battery when you need a higher voltage performance.

5.   Alkaline Battery Vs. Lithium – Lifespan Difference

Lithium is a clear winner when it comes to the life of both these batteries. Lithium batteries can support 4000 cycles of charging, while alkaline batteries support only 300 processes.

Another reason for the shorter life of alkaline batteries is that they lose up to almost 5% of energy daily. No matter if you are using it or not.

On the other hand, alkaline non-rechargeable batteries have a longer life than standard batteries in the market.

6.   Lithium Battery Vs. Alkaline – Temperature Difference

Temperature is also an essential thing to consider while choosing the correct battery. Alkaline batteries do not perform extraordinarily well in cold temperatures. The reason is coldness slows down the chemical reaction within the battery.

While temperature has no considerable effect on the performance of lithium batteries, they can operate well and efficiently in temperatures of -200C to 600C. You only experience a low performance when you exceed this range.

7.   Recharge Difference

Alkaline batteries are mostly not rechargeable. If you try to recharge alkaline batteries, you will experience an explosion. Some alkaline batteries are rechargeable, but you should avoid purchasing them.

Lithium batteries are rechargeable as well as no – rechargeable. You can choose anyone depending on your needs.

8.   Alkaline Battery Vs. Lithium – Applications Difference

Alkaline Battery

You can use alkaline batteries in the following products:

  • Clock
  • Radio
  • Flashlight
  • Toy
  • MP3 Player
  • Digital Camera

Lithium Battery

You can use lithium batteries in the following products:

  • Pacemakers
  • Laptops
  • Smartphones
  • Watches
  • Portable Powerpacks
  • UPS
  • Surveillance/ Alarm systems
  • Golf Carts
  • Trolleys
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Marine Vehicles
  • Medical Equipment’s

9.   Alkaline Battery Vs. Lithium – Disposal Difference

As we have discussed, alkaline batteries are recyclable and contain no toxic elements. You can dispose of them with your food.

On the other hand, lithium batteries may lead to severe irritation if not disposed of properly because of potassium hydroxide. These batteries catch fire instantly. You can experience decay with these batteries. So, you cannot dispose of these batteries with your food waste.

Verdict

We have discussed each Difference that exists between the alkaline battery and lithium. Choosing a single battery depends on multiple factors. You need to consider your end usage and budget to purchase one.

Feel free to reach out in the comment section if you have any questions regarding any aspect of these batteries. We would love to help you out in this regard.