Batteries will power on despite Dreamliner glitch with lithium-ion-fuelled cells

In January, Boeing's new, 787 Dreamliners were grounded due to overheating problems with their lithium-ion batteries, leading to potential fire risks. These were well-publicised yet rare incidents involving lithium-ion batteries - which abound in our modern lives, powering devices such as mobile phones and laptops.

Though relatively new and packing some advanced features, lithium-ion batteries operate according to the basic principles of all batteries, with chemical reactions producing electrical power.

The first known batteries may date from 250BC to AD640. In Iran, artefacts found such as the "Parthian jar" features an iron rod surrounded by a copper cylinder. When filled with an electrolyte such as vinegar it produces a small voltage. Maybe this was used for electroplating.

While the jar's purpose is debated, the invention of the battery is credited to Alessandro Volta (1745-1827). In 1800, he demonstrated a voltaic cell: a stack of alternating copper and zinc discs in an acidic solution, producing an electric current. His name lives on in the unit of measure, voltage.

Various forms of battery have since been developed, using metals including lead, zinc, cadmium, nickel and lithium. Lithium batteries have proven especially attractive as they produce high power relative to their size.

This is mainly because lithium atoms are tiny - with just three protons, they are larger only than hydrogen and helium - and a high electrical potential, meaning they readily lose an electron to become ions.

In a charged lithium-ion battery, there are lithium atoms within an anode material, which is usually carbon. There is an electrolyte containing lithium ions, and a cathode with a chemical that can accept lithium ions. The result is a stable chemical reaction.