# [EVDL] The correct Chemical formula for Lithium Iron Phosphate



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

This may be picky but it really isn't much different than using the
correct units. I seem to see more and more people listing the chemical
formula for Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries as LiFePo, LiFePo4 and
other variations. In case someone doesn't know, chemical formulas have
a strict capitalization style. The first letter of the symbol for an
element is always capitalized, if the chemical symbol has more than
one letter all letters after the first one is lowercase. This is to
make the notation compact and easily readable. If there is more than
one atom of a particular type it is followed a subscript number
indicating the number of that particular atom. In text based email the
subscripting character (the underscore "_" ) is usually left off.

When someone writes LiFePo it is really Lithium Iron Polonium. To my
knowledge there is no such battery. The correct chemical formula is
LiFePO4 which is Lithium Iron Phosphorus Oxygen except that PO4 is
really called phosphate so the name is really Lithium Iron Phosphate.

-- 
David D. Nelson
http://evalbum.com/1328
http://2003gizmo.blogspot.com

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

This wasn't aimed specifically at you, Bob. But given your background it is
funny. I've just seen it quite a bit lately and reached that "breaking
point" where I thought I'd say something. Maybe it was the science teacher
coming out of me again. 

I didn't know/remember that tidbit about Rutherford. Maybe some day we will
have nuclear powered cars and we can call them Rutherfords .



> Bob Bath wrote:
> 
> > Mea culpa. I've taught chemistry for 23 years, but writing LiFeP or even
> > LiFePO4 just didn't feel quite right!
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Just to add more confusion: 

It is worth noting that LiPo has become common notation for Lithium Polymer. 


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

--- the polymer of which is likely a trade secret to the manufacturer
and privileged information which you may never know.



> Ken Fry <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > Just to add more confusion:
> >
> ...


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