ICR vs INR vs IMR Lithium Battery Types

[TheBatteries]

I saw questions being asked on the Facebook group regarding the different chemistries. I learned a bit myself and thought it would be good to save the information here for reference.

Long-Form Name	Chemical Abbreviation	Name Format 1	Name Format 2	Name Format 3
Lithium Manganese Oxide	LiMn2O4	IMR	LMO	Li-Manganese
Lithium Manganese Nickel	LiNiMnCoO2	INR	NMC	---
Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide	LiNiCoAlO2	---	NCA	Li-Aluminum
Lithium Nickel Cobalt Oxide	LiNiCoO2	---	NCO	---
Lithium Cobalt Oxide	LiCoO2	ICR	LCO	Li-Cobalt
Lithium Iron Phosphate	LiFePO4	IFR	LFP	Li-Phosphate

 

[cak]

Really cool info. Now my question is what does the different types mean for building packs? and how do you identify what type a particular cell is?

 

[Wolf]

how do you identify what type a particular cell is?

If you take LiFePO4 out of the mix you really only have 2 main chemistry's. ICR and INR. In very simple rudimentary terms Cobalt and Nickel.
The hybrid versions are cobalt and a combination of other metals/oxides.
Cobalt and most hybrid are generally low drain i.e. laptop, medical packs, and any packs that don't require a heavy discharge. They also have an IR (Internal Resistance) of between 35mΩ to ~80mΩ being on the high end.
Nickel based cells are your high drain cells, power tool packs, floor sweepers and anything that requires lots of amps. Their IR is usually between 10mΩ to 25mΩ.
Search on my posts on how cells behave in parallel and this thread https://secondlifestorage.com/index.php?threads/high-and-low-drain-cells-mixed.7873/
I basicly I reccomend ICR and hybrid chemistry can be combined in a powerwall if the min max IR is between 15mΩ to 20mΩ at the highest.
I.e. My preferences is to keep cells between 40mΩ to 50mΩ. I would not include INR nickel based cells into a cobalt chemistry build.
The same goes with INR chemistry cells. Personally I would not mix and match.
Others may not so much disagree but claim there is no harm in mixing both chemistries. I think it makes a big difference in the long run on the health of the packs. To each their own.
Wolf