Ibhethri ye-lithium ion iwuhlobo lwebhethri lesibili (ibhethri elishajekayo), elincike kakhulu ekuhambeni kwama-ion e-lithium phakathi kwe-electrode ephozithivu kanye ne-electrode engasebenzi ukuze isebenze. Phakathi nenqubo yokushaja nokukhipha, i-Li+ ihlangana futhi inqamule iye emuva naphambili phakathi kwama-electrode amabili: ngesikhathi sokushaja, i-Li+ iphuma phakathi isuka ku-electrode ephozithivu bese ihlangana ibe i-electrode eyinegethivu nge-electrolyte, futhi i-electrode eyinegethivu isesimweni esicebile{3}se-lithium; okuphambene kuyiqiniso ngesikhathi sokukhishwa.
Ngomhla ziyisi-9 ku-Okthoba 2019, i-Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences yamemezela ukuthi umklomelo we-Nobel we-Chemistry wango-2019 uklonyeliswe u-John Goodenough, u-Stanley Whittingham no-Akira Yoshino ngenxa yeqhaza labo emkhakheni we-lithium{3}}wocwaningo nokuthuthukiswa kwebhethri le-ion{4}
