What's the story with these lithium-ion batteries--you know, the ones in most of our laptops? First, there was Dell's massive recall, then Apple's. What gives? The AP serves up an academic report on
the lightweight, energy dense, highly reactive little batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are easily rechargeable, generate very high voltage and take up little space--which is what makes them ideal for
energy-sucking mobile devices. But they're also extremely delicate. "Manufacturing contamination" caused the overheating which led to the recall of nearly 6 million Sony Corp batteries from Apple
Computer and Dell Inc. The actual chemical reaction that occurs in these batteries involves coupling a lithium-carbon compound (the negative electrode) with cobalt oxide (the positive electrode).
Normally, this is a controlled and safe reaction. However, if uncontrolled, the lithium can spark a huge reaction, like the one that burned down that guy's truck. Luckily, he wasn't in it, but the
pictures were extraordinary. The push for smaller and lighter tech gadgetry continues, which means little batteries are starting to pack a more powerful punch. Engineers are responding by boosting the
power generated from lithium-ion batteries, but they're also faced with the problem of managing that power. If the battery isn't made well, the resulting danger is that energy can be released quickly
in an uncontrolled fashion. Experts say the biggest threat is the possible penetration of the thin barrier of synthetic material, which is about as thick as a piece of computer paper, by the contained
reaction. If a particle breaches that membrane during manufacturing and the particle collides with the electrode, the device could short circuit--possibly bringing your house down.
Read the whole story at Associated Press »
