What is Pure Cobalt Battery?
The scientific name of pure cobalt battery is Lithium Cobalt Oxide battery (LiCoO2), which means the cathode of the lithium battery is made of 100% Cobalt Oxide. Its high specific energy makes Li-cobalt the popular choice for mobile phones, laptops and digital cameras. The battery consists of a cobalt oxide cathode and a graphite carbon anode. The cathode has a layered structure and during discharge, lithium ions move from the anode to the cathode. The flow reverses on charge. The drawback of Li-cobalt is a relatively short life span, low thermal stability and limited load capabilities (specific power).
The Cycle Life
Lithium cobalt oxide can last for around 500 cycles. This is enough for disposable vape pens or even changeable batteries. Lithium iron phosphate takes more time to cycle. This is a key feature of lithium iron phosphate batteries, which can last for 1500 to 2000 cycles or more. The Lithium Iron Phosphate battery can also be used all the way down to 100% of its capacity. So, a good Lithium Iron Phosphate battery can last from 3 to 7 years if it is used in the right way.
The Safety Performance
In terms of safety, Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries are far safer than Lithium Cobalt Oxide batteries. Lithium Cobalt Oxide batteries have the advantage of high current charging and discharging, and they allow devices to release more energy in a short period of time. Lithium Cobalt Oxide with high discharge rates can achieve continuous discharge rates of up to 50C and pulse discharge rates of up to 150C. They are 40% lighter than a steel-cased lithium-ion battery of the same capacity and 20% lighter than an aluminum-cased battery. These make them more useful for racing applications and power tools, such as vape pens.