Could new tech be on its way?
Researchers have designed a lithium-ion battery with its very own fire extinguisher material that releases when the battery gets too hot.
Flame retardant triphenyl phosphate (TPP) sits inside a shell within the electrolyte fluid. If the temperature reaches 150C (302F) the shell begins to melt and releases the chemical compound.
During tests, the battery fire was extinguished in 0.4 seconds.
The research team from Stanford University had their peer-reviewed paper published by the journal Science Advances.
Lithium-ion batteries are used in many different devices and are a known fire hazard.
If these types of batteries are charged to quickly or a tiny manufacturing error occurs the device can short circuit which can lead to fires.
Ian Fogg, senior analyst at IHS, told the BBC: “There is enormous pressure to improve battery tech. It’s one of the areas that’s holding back mobile devices and a range of other products,”
“Manufacturers have been balancing out consumer demand for longer-lived batteries, and more powerful devices with better graphics and larger more detailed displays, with the sophistication of battery tech.”
“It’s very difficult to push up the capacity of batteries and there is always a risk that a battery in any device could fail.”
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