I-lithium, enenombolo ye-athomu 3 kanye nesisindo se-athomu esingu-6.941, iyingxenye yensimbi elula kakhulu ye-alkali. Ukuze kuthuthukiswe ukuphepha namandla kagesi, ososayensi baye basungula izinto ezifana ne-graphite ne-lithium cobalt oxide ukugcina ama-athomu e-lithium. Isakhiwo samangqamuzana salezi zinto sakha ama-nanoscale storage lattices angagcina ama-athomu e-lithium. Ngale ndlela, ngisho noma i-casing yebhethri inqamuka bese kungena umoya-mpilo, ama-molecule e-oksijini makhulu kakhulu ukuthi angangena kula ma-lattice amancane okugcina, avimbela ama-athomu e-lithium ukuthi angathintana nomoya-mpilo futhi ngaleyo ndlela agweme ukuqhuma.
Ngemva kokuthola ama-electron, lawa ma-ion e-lithium acwebezela phezu kwempahla, okuthi, njengokushaja ngokweqile, kube yingozi. Uma ikesi yebhethri iphuka, kuzovela ukuqhuma. Ngakho-ke, ukuvikelwa kwamabhethri e-lithium-i-ion kufanele kuhlanganise okungenani izici ezintathu: umkhawulo ophezulu wevoltheji yokushaja, umkhawulo ophansi wokukhipha i-voltage, kanye nomkhawulo ophezulu wamanje. Ngokuvamile, ngaphezu kwamaseli ebhethri ye-lithium, kunebhodi lokuvikela ephaketheni lebhethri le-lithium, elihlinzeka ngokuyinhloko lezi zivikelo ezintathu. Kodwa-ke, lezi zivikelo ezintathu ezivela ebhodini lokuvikela akwanele, futhi ukuqhuma kwebhethri ye-lithium kuyaqhubeka ukwenzeka njalo emhlabeni jikelele. Ukuqinisekisa ukuphepha kwamasistimu ebhethri, ukuhlaziya okujulile kwezimbangela zokuqhuma kwamabhethri kuyadingeka.
