• Oxis Lithium Sulfur cell: 2.1V, 4A
• Li-ion cell: LiCoO₂, 3.7V, 4Ah

In a 2010 review of thermochemical processes associated with lithium cobalt oxide cathodes, Chil-Hoon Doh and Angathevar Veluchamy noted that under abuse conditions—such as the penetration of the nail test—the temperature of the Li-ion cell with the cobalt oxide electrode rises due to the chemical reactions between the organic solvent and electrode materials leading to cell failure and/or explosion. The chemical reaction is prompted because of the coexistence of 1) combustible organic solvent with inorganic salt electrolyte 2) lithiated graphite anode and 3) partially delithiated Li_xCoO₂ cathode in the charged state.

Also in 2010, Oxis Energy presented data at the 15th International Meeting on Lithium Batteries (IMLB 2010) showing that during the period of the short circuit resulting from a nail test on a Li-S cell, the mean cell surface temperature increased by approximately 15°C before cooling back to ambient temperature. There was no explosion or fire and the cells recovered their open circuit voltage.

Resources

• Chil-Hoon Doh and Angathevar Veluchamy (2010). Thermo-Chemical Process Associated with Lithium Cobalt Oxide Cathode in Lithium Ion Batteries, Lithium-ion Batteries, Chong Rae Park (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-307-058-2, InTech, doi: 10.5772/9116.