Is LiFePO4 Stable in Water?
LiFePO4 is a household name in the battery space. Most appliances, smartphones, power banks, and electric vehicles use LiFePO4 batteries to run efficiently. Because of their low maintenance and overall safety, they are the most preferred lithium batteries.
Even though they possess top-notch safety, they are prone to water exposure. Therefore, it is important to know whether LifePO4 is stable in water. Of course, batteries are reactive to water, but to what extreme is it risky?
Water behaves differently with regard to the material of the battery components. So that’s where we come in to expound and dissect insights. Ultimate safety is key.
Behavior of The LiFePO4 Battery in Water
More often than not, the LiFePO4 battery appears tightly sealed and waterproof by bare eyes. Even most manufacturers support the waterproof facade under the product’s description. While they are designed to be immune to water, water can penetrate the internal battery through cracks or crevices due to wear caused by aging over time.
The Electrolyte
When water infiltrates the battery, it mixes and dilutes the electrolyte, causing internal chemical reactions that make the LiFePO4 unstable in water. A corrosive acid forms and eats up the battery system, including the electrodes and the separator.
In addition, flammable hydrogen fumes and heat are released into the battery, creating high pressure. Care and preventive measures must be taken promptly. Most of the time, the changes will not be noticeable immediately until a big swell shows up.
Electrodes (Anode and Cathode)
Like the electrolyte, metal plates are susceptible to degradation. Although the cathode (LiFePO4) is highly resistant to water, it deteriorates with prolonged contact with water. During reactions, a coating covers the cathode’s surface, obstructing the flow of electrons and power discharge.
Similarly, the anode, commonly graphite material, is vulnerable to water. Despite its strong unreactive nature, eventually, its pores succumb to clogging, making it less effective in the battery chemistry.
Separator
Water reaching the separator is disastrous. Since its job is to provide a barrier preventing the cathode and anode from contacting each other, separators are typically porous plastics or polymeric structures. These materials may absorb the water and swell up to the point of cracking.
It might even puncture. When this occurs, the separator becomes structurally weak and cannot function as optimally as before. Even the acids generated by the electrolyte’s reaction with water severely implicate the separator by corroding it.
Interaction with the Battery Casing
Battery casings are not spared either. The severity of damage depends on whether the casing is metallic or non-metallic (plastic or composite materials). Metal casings yield to water exposure quicker and more easily. Water can cause the metal casing to rust, weaken, and wear out completely.
It’s not much different for the non-metallic ones, as they also degrade and break into smaller pieces over time. Some even take up water, expand, and rupture when they can no longer swell. Conclusively, no battery part remains stable and unaltered in the presence of water, whether immersed or exposed to outdoor rains or floods.
What Happens When It’s Saltwater?
Realizing LiFePO4 batteries are unstable in fresh water, you might wonder how they may perform in saltwater conditions. Will the effects be more dire or fewer with high salt levels?
Well, exposure to saltwater compared to freshwater exaggerates the severity of battery degradation. Every outcome explained above escalates when water enters the LiFePO4 battery due to particular saltwater properties.
Corrosive Nature
Naturally, saltwater is highly corrosive, that’s why more vigilance is required in harsh marine environments like oceanic areas. The dissolved salts present catalyze the corrosive effects on the battery parts, especially the metallic components. You may detect browning sections filled with rust on the exterior casing as the first sign of a saltwater attack
High Conductivity
Remember, salty water is an electrolyte, and mixing with the battery’s electrolyte surges the conductivity levels. More ions are discharged at a rapid rate, creating a direct interaction between the anode and cathode. That puts the battery system at a bigger risk of abrupt short-circuiting and even explosions.
Aggressive Chemical Reactions
With freshwater, the reactions are at a normal slow rate. In the case of saltwater, these reactions exacerbate. The salt ions intensify the formation of the acidic compounds and hydrogen gas.
Therefore, battery performance is impeded earlier, and longevity is shorter compared to when freshwater infiltrates the LiFePO4 battery. This is proof that leaving your battery exposed to saltwater is fatal.
Potential Risks Associated with a Wet LiFePO4 Battery
It’s necessary to disseminate the hazardous impact of LiFePO4 battery mixing with water. This can jeopardize many things, apart from the battery. Water affects not only the battery components but also the environment and the health of the handlers, as you’ll see below.
Deteriorated Battery Capacity
This is the most immediate consequence when water seeps into the battery. Just the water diluting the electrolyte and reacting with the internal battery elements wreaks great havoc. Expect short-circuiting, corrosion, and overheating, which cripple the battery’s ability to deliver power to the electricity-reliant gadgets.
Poor battery health means the battery will not serve you up to the required lifespan or longer. Having to replace it sooner than expected is not economical whatsoever.
Swollen Battery
As the chemical reactions take place, gases are also consistently produced. As the volumes increase, pressure builds up and forces the battery to bulge. The battery bulging is an increase in size, and therefore, it cannot fit in its compartment.
That’s an inconvenience, and there is no way you will adjust the compartment. A swollen battery has to be disposed of immediately before it bursts and poses more harm.
Respiratory Health Risks
Surprisingly, human health is also in danger when water degrades the battery. Toxic fumes are released and exit the battery through punctures, tears, or cracks. While close to the battery, you can easily inhale these fumes irritating your respiratory tract. Long-term exposure can damage the lungs and other respiratory parts.
Harmful Chemical Leakage
Water can support the outflow of the liquid battery chemicals. These chemicals are corrosive and a considerable threat to the environment and the battery handlers. Since they are highly alkaline, any surface the battery chemical touches will likely corrode.
Direct contact with the leaking substance can also irritate or burn your skin. So, immediately after discovering a leaking battery, protect yourself with gloves before touching the battery and discarding it.
Additionally, if the leaking battery is disposed of carelessly, it pollutes the soil and harms wildlife. It could even contaminate water sources through surface runoff during heavy rains.
Fire and Explosions
This is the most tragic and worst scenario you might deal with. That’s why water infiltrating a battery should never be taken lightly. First and foremost, the leaking chemical ignites when it meets a flame.
Also, the aggressive chemical reactions emit flammable gases. If they happen to escape the battery into a confined room and there’s ignition nearby, the room will go up in flames.
On the other end, the explosion occurs when the battery swells; when it cannot swell anymore, it ruptures and explodes. The flying debris can injure nearby people or destroy items in the vicinity. As you can see, all these put the lives of people and property at risk.
Are the Adverse Effects Reversible?
Your LiFePO4 battery is no longer complete after water tampering with its normal functioning. When the effects occur, depending on which one happens, you may want to continue using the same battery as you plan on getting a new one.
Some people may not create plans to purchase but want this battery to operate until it permanently goes off. Therefore there is a need to understand whether the adverse water effects are repairable. Truth be said, the extent of damage determines the possibility of reversibility.
For example, extensive short-circuiting and swelling of the battery are irreversible. If the battery undergoes these detrimental changes, it is unsafe and, most likely, very non-functional. You would have to replace it with a new battery. However, if they are minor, when you detect them early enough, the damage can be repairable with the help of a trusted technician.
Things like corrosion, fires, and explosions will also depend on how bad the impact was. If items were burnt, razed down, or heavily broken, you may have to discard them and look for replacements. In the case of health complications, consistent treatment until full recovery would go a long way in reinstating someone’s health. Most importantly, practice the preventive measures in the upcoming section to mitigate the predicaments associated with LiFePO4 battery wetting.
Preventive Tips for Wet Battery-Related Incidents
Given water’s destructive impacts, it’s critical to acknowledge the best ways to prevent water entry and its ensuing consequences.
Proper Storage: As per the manufacturer’s instructions, always store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Avoid damp conditions, and if water can access the ground during heavy rains, like in basements, place the battery on elevated surfaces like shelves. At all times, consider installing the battery indoors, where you can easily control room conditions like temperature and humidity.
Periodic Battery Inspections: Everything might be in check, but ensure that the battery is regularly inspected for any anomalies. This helps discover developing issues like loose caps, cracks, and swells and resolve them in time.
Clothe the Battery: Airtight storage containers provide extra protection and waterproofing. Plastic bags also come in handy, especially when transporting the battery.
Keeping an Emergency Kit: You may equip it with essential items like gloves, face masks to prevent inhaling the toxic fumes, first aid kit in case of minor injuries. Also, cleaning supplies like paper towels or rugs that can absorb leaks and baking soda to neutralise the leaking electrolyte. Remember to have a fire extinguisher in sight just in case a fire erupts.
Conclusion
LiFePO4 will never be stable in water, especially one with impurities. When water seeps into the LiFePO4 battery, chemical reactions often result. These reactions produce harmful compounds that impede the battery’s health and, worse, the health of the people handling it.
Therefore, always be vigilant when working with batteries and avoid putting them in wet environments. A well-functioning LiFePO4 battery ensures continued activities reliant on electricity and work productivity.
