Recent events have brought the safety of lithium-ion batteries into question. Researchers around the world have been searching for a cure to this hazardous usage. The researchers at Stanford University have announced the creation of a battery that will put itself out. This self-activated fire extinguisher is a new development in the use of Lithium-ion. According to these researchers, when one of these batteries heat to 150-degrees Celsius, the chemical within the plastic coating will begin to melt and release the chemical, putting the fire out before it becomes dangerous.
The paper was published in Science Magazine telling the science community, as well as the public of this new development. The paper explains the concerns of the manufacturing industry and the users of products operated by lithium-ion batteries, such as smartphones.
While this technology is only in its testing stage, there is hope that the safety concerns of this type of battery will soon be eliminated. These researchers did state that this new technology does not prevent the device from being damaged or protect the device from being damaged by other power sources, such as when a user charges the device with the recharging cable.
At least a decade
Manufacturers will not see this new development in battery safety any time soon. Reports say that it could take as long as another decade before this type of battery to be introduced into the marketplace. No one is even sure the battery with this fire-retardant cover will even be further researched. This makes it difficult for anyone to firmly say that fire resistant lithium-ion batteries will be available. So, continue to operate your device with caution. It is recommended that all users of devices with this type of battery continue to follow the manufacturer’s safety recommendations.
