Lithium-ion batteries have kept gadget lovers on their toes for years with their occasionally combustive ways. Now, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research in Würzburg, Germany think they've solved this problem by successfully swapping the liquid electrolyte (the flammable stuff) used in conventional lithium-ion batteries with a non-combustible alternative.
"We have succeeded in replacing the inflammable organic electrolytes with a non-flammable polymer that retains its shape," ISC team leader Dr. Kai-Christian Möller in a statement earlier this week.
"This considerably enhances the safety of lithium-ion batteries," he continued. "What’s more, because it is a solid substance, the electrolyte cannot leak out of the battery."
Non-leaky, non-flammable batteries? Say it ain't so. Möller and other Fraunhofer researchers will be presenting this new prototype battery at Hannover Messe, a tradeshow for industrial technology, on April 21 - 25. But don't get too excited. We have at least another 3-5 years before these non-explosive batteries make their way into laptops and cellphones. Researchers say they still need to fine-tune the conductivity of this polymer so that the batteries can store and deliver an adequate amount of power.
In case you've forgotten, here's a video of what happens when good lithium-ion batteries go bad.
More safety for cell phone batteries [Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft]
