The different operational mechanisms for lithium batteries

The variety of nature, composition and structure of the compounds available as active materials causes a diversity of lithiation/de-lithiation electrochemical reactions. A classification can be established on the basis of the nature of the redox reaction that occurs in the active material to accommodate the lithium. This is what is done below. 

11 We can consider that the terms intercalation and its opposite, de-intercalation , apply only in the case of a crystalline network whose structure remains unchanged (presence of preferred sites within the crystalline network where the intercalated species is placed). Hence, these are very restrictive terms. 

The terms insertion and its opposite, extraction are also frequently found, but apply more generally to any reaction which leads to the introduction of one species into a host structure, whether or not there is a structural or chemical alteration (e.g. breaking of a covalent bond) to the host structure. Hence, the definition is broader than that of intercalation. 

The specific capacities of these t5 es of compounds are limited by the number of vacant sites in the host structure. The very slight variations in volume (5-10% alteration of the crystal lattice between the de-lithiated and fully lithiated states) mean that they exhibit very significant cycle lifetimes. 

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