Scientists just developed Lithium-ion batteries that can't catch fire
After a number of smartphone explosion cases, scientists have finally taken a step towards developing completely safe Lithium-ion batteries. In a major development, a group of US-based researchers has come up with a flexible Lithium-ion battery that cannot catch fire. It is said to work like regular Lithium-ion batteries but with different chemical properties. Here's all you need to know about it.
Current Lithium-ion batteries and their problem
Though Lithium-ion batteries power the world around us (from electric cars to phones), we all know that the energy storage technology used in there is susceptible to explode unexpectedly. Now, the explosion could occur due to overheating or some other reason, but the fact is it first starts because the battery is built with flammable and combustible materials.
So, scientists tried building an incombustible battery
In a bid to tackle the problem of flammability, researchers from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in the US developed a 'flexible Lithium-ion battery'. They say that the technology and materials packed in this thing make a safe and powerful energy storage solution, one that doesn't catch fire and even bears extreme conditions like cutting, submersion, and simulated ballistic impact.
So, what is the underlying tech?
In order to develop the incombustible flexible battery, the researchers came up with a new class of "water-in-salt" and "water-in-bisalt" electrolytes. These electrolytes were then incorporated into a flexible polymer matrix, which ultimately helped with the development of a flexible battery offering enhanced energy capacity and life cycle and no flammable, toxic, or highly reactive solvents that we see in the present-day Li-ion batteries.
Here's what project lead said about the new battery
"Our recent paper shows improved usability and performance of water-based flexible polymer Li-ion batteries that can be built and operated in open air," research lead Konstantinos Gerasopoulos said, adding that the new batteries are even more dimensionally stable.
Prototype will be available pretty soon
Having said that, the researchers now plan on evolving the new flexible energy storage solution into a functioning prototype. They plan to do this within a year, which may ultimately pave the way for non-flammable Li-ion batteries for all sorts of portable electronics. The move, when executed, would completely change the way Li-ion batteries are developed and used.
