St. Scientists from St. Petersburg State University (SPbSU) have found a way to protect lithium-ion batteries from fires and explosions using a polymer gasket. This was reported to socialbites.ca by the press service of the Russian Science Foundation (RSF), which supported this research.
Experts from St. Petersburg State University found that applying a thin layer of polymer between the layers of foil and cathode material in the battery makes it 100% safe in situations where the battery could overheat and catch fire. The proposed fuse conducts current, but when the critical voltage threshold is exceeded, the composition oxidizes and becomes an insulator.
Lithium-ion batteries are found everywhere, from smartphones to electric vehicles. Inside each such device there are two conductive elements (anode and cathode), separated by a porous separator with an electrolyte. If the separator is damaged, the battery materials begin to rapidly decompose and a large amount of heat is released, causing the battery to heat up to almost 600 °C in seconds. In Russia alone, there are approximately 10 cases of mobile device battery fire or explosion every month.
St. The polymer layer developed at St. Petersburg State University is an organic compound containing nickel atoms. It reacts to heat by breaking the electrical circuit and prevents the battery from overheating.
The test showed that the protection works with 100% efficiency if the voltage is outside the range of 2.8 Volts (at these values the batteries stop discharging) and 5 Volts (the voltage of the charger for smartphones). Additionally, the polymer layer moderately affected battery capacity and performance, reducing them by no more than 10%.
Previously in Russia was created Technology for converting industrial waste into a protective coating for metal and concrete.