Lithium based cells and batteries can be made up of numerous and various chemical compositions. The specific chemical composition will first determine whether the battery is rechargeable or not. Secondly, each composition has a particular benefit in the attribute areas of capacity, energy, energy density, specific energy, maximum discharge rate, number of useful cycles, inherent safety and/or cost.
In the early days of the development of rechargeable lithium cell technology some of the chemical compositions required a liquid electrolyte while other required a gel. Those with a liquid electrolyte were designated as lithium ion (Li-ion) and those with gel a lithium polymer (LiPo). Lithium ion chemistries have dominated the market preference since and lithium polymer technology has become extinct. Many Eastern producers of hobbyist lithium ion batteries still to this day market their batteries as lithium polymers, however, they are nothing more than a lithium ion cell (typically a high-rate one) placed inside a plastic (or polymer) case/wrapping.
