Researchers Create A Lithium-Ion Battery With Built-In Flame Retardant (engadget.com)

An anonymous reader quotes Engadget: One big problem with lithium-ion batteries is that they have the tendency to catch fire and blow up all kinds of gadgets like toys and phones. To solve that issue, a group of researchers from Stanford University created lithium-ion batteries with built-in fire extinguishers. They added a component called "triphenyl phosphate" to the plastic fibers of the part that keeps negative and positive electrodes separate. Triphenyl phosphate is a compound commonly used as a flame retardant for various electronics. If the battery's temperature reaches 150 degrees Celsius, the plastic fibers melt and release the chemical. Based on the researchers' tests, the method can stop batteries from burning up within 0.4 seconds.

Comments

Re:Lini batteries

[jellomizer]

You are right the more potential energy something holds the greater potential for a dangerous failure. The real trick to making these energy sources is to arrange them in a way that they can release their energy safely under conditions that the device is expected to operate with some wiggle room for some abuse.
Sure we can out energy or current batteries with a better substance. But can we have it safe enough to operate under normal conditions?
This article isn't about allowing us to make more hazardous batteries. But just a better fail state. Because current failure conditions are rather hazardous. From the like aircraft, to hover boards, to cell phones all catching on fire often due underestimating the power sources current volatility.
A safe fail. Will be annoying as many of these devices don't have replacement batteries. But at least you won't get injured from them.