What is the difference between a Pile Lithium battery (non-rechargable, expensive and nice batterys you buy at the store) and a rechargable Lithium-ion battery such as the ones used in new advanced products liek cell phones?

 

Do they both contain elemental Lithium in them. I know the non-rechargable ones have Li foil in them.

Well, in a non-rechargeable battery, the redox reaction is allowed to go to completition, or some sort of equilibrium. However, in a rechargable one, electrons are provided to the anode (site of oxidation), so that a redox reaction can continuously occur. I hope this answers your question.

Yes, the do both contain some form of lithium.

thanks, but now i have a different question. Which will last longest under the same load.

the lithium disposables will (like the CR2016 or 2032 button cells) on a gram for gram basis.

 

however if it`s measured in Voltage and mAH over the 2 different types, then both will be the same obviously