Cell phone batteries often heat up and at times, can burst into flames. In most cases, the culprit behind such incidents can be traced back to lithium batteries. Despite providing long-lasting electric currents that can keep devices powered up, lithium batteries can internally short circuit, heating up the device.
Researchers at Texas A&M University have invented a technology that can prevent lithium batteries from heating and failing. Their carbon nanotube design for the battery’s conductive plate, called the anode, enables the safe storage of a large quantity of lithium ions, thereby reducing the risk of fire. Further, the researchers said that their new anode architecture will help lithium batteries charge faster than current commercially available batteries.
“Building lithium metal anodes that are safe and have long lifetimes has been a scientific challenge for many decades,” said Juran Noh, graduate student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. “The anodes we have developed overcome these hurdles and are an important, initial step toward commercial applications of lithium metal batteries.”
This research is funded by the National Science Foundation.