So why is Li-Ion so popular? Just looking at where Lithium sits on the periodic table compared to Lead or Nickel gives a clue that a Li-Ion battery would be lighter based on the weight of these elements. But in brief, a Li-Ion battery, for a given size, will provide more energy than a corresponding Nickel or Lead-based battery, while also being lighter. Lithium Polymer systems use the same chemical materials for anode/cathode as conventional lithium-ion batteries, but can also be packaged in very flat, thin form factors which makes them ideal for handheld devices like mobile phones and tablets.

