LiSOCl₂ (Lithium Thionyl Chloride) batteries are widely used in low-power embedded systems, mostly in smart metering solutions, but they come with a specific challenge, passivation. When a device remains in sleep mode and the current draw is very low or battery is unused in a storage, a thin film, primarily composed of lithium chloride (LiCl), forms on the lithium anode. This increases internal resistance and leads to voltage drops and thus unexpected device resets when the system wakes up.
To better understand and mitigate this, it’s essential to measure and visualize the passivation effect under realistic conditions.
Using the Otii Ace together with the Otii Battery Toolbox, you can measure passivation effects by testing various idle durations, temperature conditions, and state-of-charge levels to make data-driven decisions, extend battery life and improve device reliability.
Check out this use case to see how you can set up and analyze passivation in your projects. Happy to answer any questions or hear how you’re testing LiSOCl₂ performance in your applications!