Chinese scientists claim solution to lithium phone batteries dying or catching fire
The accumulation of strands of lithium in liquid electrolytes – which shortens battery life – is preventable by converting liquids to solids, research finds
Chinese scientists have found a way to solve the common problem of lithium batteries for phones, tablets and laptops losing power quickly or even catching fire, according to a study.
The solution, published in the Science Advances journal on Friday, involves turning batteries’ liquid into a solid or quasi-solid, with the help of a chemical compound called LiPF6.
The resulting gel-like substance was found to be more stable than the conventional liquid, remaining inert for more than 400 hours of testing, compared with the traditional substance, the study said.
While lithium batteries have high energy density – energy carried by a battery relative to its weight – they are plagued by a common problem called dendrite, which can drain their power and even cause fire.
“The uncontrolled lithium dendrite growth in liquid electrolytes still impedes lithium metal batteries from real commercialisation,” said Guo Yuguo, one of the lead authors on the study and a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing.
“Upgrading the traditional electrolyte system from liquid to solid and quasi-solid has therefore become a key issue for future lithium metal batteries.”