Is there a type of battery that will not lose capacity?

[radaballer]

Lithium ion batteries infamously degrade over time. 1000 charges can cause up to 20% loss in capacity. Is there a type of rechargeable battery that will not degrade over time?

 

[Danger]

If there is, I've never heard of it.

 

[etudiant]

Batteries that keep the reagents separate are available. They last decades, but have to be started by breaking the separator seal. Once that is done, they decay as normal. Presumably a flow battery might also qualify, if there are any outside of labs.

 

[mheslep]

I suspect liquid metal batteries have a chance. No dendrites with no solids. Any impurities might eventually make compounds in side reactions, and leaching from the container material over time might be another issue.
http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2014/liquid-batteries-renewable-energy-0921

 

[NascentOxygen]

Lithium ion batteries infamously degrade over time. 1000 charges can cause up to 20% loss in capacity. Is there a type of rechargeable battery that will not degrade over time?

I recall people boasting in another forum that they have a particular type of secondary cell that is still going strong after a few decades of use. I think they were talking about the NiFe cell. You used to be able to buy them dry and you'd fill them with your own KOH solution. They were not sealed (in today's terminology), and not what you'd call high capacity.

From memory, around 1.2V, but try a web search. Not sure whether you'd even be able to buy these now.
I bought one from a disposals store in the 70s. http://thumbnails112.imagebam.com/37333/0363e9373324851.jpg

 

[RonL]

I recall people boasting in another forum that they have a particular type of secondary cell that is still going strong after a few decades of use. I think they were talking about the NiFe cell. You used to be able to buy them dry and you'd fill them with your own KOH solution. They were not sealed (in today's terminology), and not what you'd call high capacity.

From memory, around 1.2V, but try a web search. Not sure whether you'd even be able to buy these now.
I bought one from a disposals store in the 70s. http://thumbnails112.imagebam.com/37333/0363e9373324851.jpg

This site has a lot of information and pictures.

http://www.nickel-iron-battery.com/

 

[mheslep]

Lithium ion batteries infamously degrade over time. 1000 charges can cause up to 20% loss in capacity. Is there a type of rechargeable battery that will not degrade over time?

Panasonic engineers report in paper that their Li (Ni,Co,Al)O2 based batteries suffer less than 10% loss after 3000 cycles. Cycle life is dependent on a couple of other factors. High temperature operation shortens life. So does rapid discharge, e.g. in an electric vehicle keeping the "pedal down" as a habit.
http://ma.ecsdl.org/content/MA2011-02/17/1282.full.pdf

The EV auto maker Tesla reportedly uses Panasonic cells in their vehicle, integrated into battery packs that control temperature.