Lithium batteries are responsible for charging our smartphones, tablets and laptops. Appreciated for their lightness and their recharging potential, these batteries sometimes tend to overheat and in certain cases to explode. Researchers at a university in Texas have found a solution to avoid these two disadvantages.
Why do the batteries heat up?
"Although they provide long-lasting electrical currents that can keep devices powered on, lithium batteries can short out internally, heating the device," says an article from Texas A&M University which said conducted the research.
The anode is a conductive plate for the battery. Lithium ions do not always settle uniformly on this plate. When they accumulate, and over time, they form "tree structures", the dendrites. These can be the cause of a short circuit in the battery, "and ignite the device".
The researchers made this plate out of carbon nanotubes. A solution that allows the safe storage of a large quantity of lithium ions, continues the university article. This reduces the risk of explosion due to overheating. At the same time, this anode would allow lithium batteries to charge much faster than current batteries.
An important commercial issue
Lithium metal batteries are appreciated for their qualities in terms of lightness and recharging capacity. Smartphones, laptops, cameras and even electric cars can work with this type of battery. The new batteries proposed by researchers at A&M University have considerable advantages, for rapid recharging of an electric car for example.
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Some see an important commercial issue, but others emphasize the ecological limits of the use of lithium. The extraction of this metal is disastrous for the environment while demand continues to grow.
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