Methods and systems for recharging a battery

1. A method of charging a rechargeable battery having multiple voltage plateaus wherein the battery has a voltage, V Batt , that is less than its highest voltage plateau comprising:

a2) Charging the battery with a charging current, I 1 , wherein the charging current, I 1 , is applied until the battery is charged to a first voltage, V 1 ;

b2) Controlling the charging current, I 1 , when the voltage of the battery is V 1 , so that the voltage of the battery is maintained at V 1 with a deviation of no more than ±20% of V 1 ; and

c2) Monitoring for each of the following occurrences and arresting the charging current, I 1 , at the first of the following occurrences

1) the battery has been charged with at least 98% of its C R ; or

2) the charging current, I 1 , is 0.5 mA±0.1 mA after the battery is charged with I 1 for a period, T 1 , of from 60 min to 240 min,

wherein C R is the rated capacity of the battery.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

d4) Charging the battery with a diagnostic charge current, I Diag , for a period of 10 seconds or less; and

e4) Discontinuing the recharging of the battery if ΔV≤−m d ×V d0 +b d ,

wherein

Δ V=V d1 −V d0   (11);

0.1≤ m d ≤0.99  (12a);

0.75≤ b d ≤0.95  (13);

I Diag is from 2 mA to 20 mA, V d0 is the voltage of the battery prior to being charged with I Diag ; and V d1 is the voltage of the battery after it is charged with I Diag .

3. A method of charging a rechargeable battery having multiple voltage plateaus wherein the battery has a voltage, V Batt , that is greater than its lowest voltage plateau comprising:

a3) Charging the battery with a charging current, I 1 , having a maximum amperage of I max , wherein the charging current, I 1 , is applied for at least a period, t 3 , of from 5 min to 15 min;

b3) Controlling the charging current, I 1 , so that the voltage of the battery is maintained at V 1 with a deviation of no more than ±20% of V 1 ;

c3) Measuring the ambient temperature; and

d3) Monitoring for each of the following occurrences and arresting the charging current, I 1 , at the first of the following occurrences

1) the battery has been charged with charging current, I 1 , for a period of 5 hrs±3 hrs;

2) the battery has been charged with a target capacity C T by the charging current, I 1 ; or

3) the charging current, I 1 , reduces to I end for a continuous period of from 50 seconds to 70 seconds after the battery has been charged with I 1 during period t 3 ,

wherein V 1 is less than the voltage of a natural polarization peak, V PP ;

wherein V PP is associated with a voltage plateau, V P , wherein V P is greater than V Batt , and V 1 is greater than V P ;

wherein C T is from 10 mAh to 25 mAh; and

I end is calculated according to equation (12b):

I end =m 2 ×T+b x   (12b)

wherein m 2 is from 0.10 to 0.14;

T is the ambient temperature in degrees Celsius; and

b x is from 0.75 to 1.25 if charge current I 1 was 5 mA±1.5 mA for at least 80% of period t 3 ; or

b x is from 0.25 to 0.75 if charge current I 1 was 5 mA±1.5 mA for less than 80% of period t 3 .

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising

d4) Charging the battery with a diagnostic charge current, I Diag , for a period of 10 seconds or less; and

e4) Discontinuing the recharging of the battery if ΔV≤−m d ×V d0 +b d , wherein

Δ V=V d1 −V d0   (11);

0.1≤ m d ≤0.99  (12a);

0.75≤ b d ≤0.95  (13);

I Diag is from 2 mA to 20 mA, V d0 is the voltage of the battery prior to being charged with I Diag ; and V d1 is the voltage of the battery after it is charged with I Diag .