Created the battery, is able to warn of a possible fire

Nowadays lithium-ion batteries are used in almost all electronics – from smartphones and laptops to cars and airplanes. Although they are relatively safe, still occasionally we meet with cases of ignition batteries directly during operation, resulting in damage to users. To avoid this problem, researchers from Stanford University have developed a smart battery that warns you in advance about the threat of fire.

As we know, lithium-ion battery consists of a cathode and anode, separated by an ultrathin polymer through which lithium ions. Over time, the battery can formed of the belt structure of the dendrites that are beginning to move from one electrolyte to another. If they pass through the polymer and into the cathode, there is a short circuit occurs and ignition of the battery.

Scientists from Stanford University decided to develop a special system which will warn the user about possible ignition of the battery. To do this, they applied with a thin nanoclay of copper on one side of the separating polymer, which has become a kind of detector dendrites.

"The copper layer acts like a sensor that allows to measure the voltage between the anode and the polymer," says one of the creators of technology.

When the dendrites grow so that they begin to touch the copper coating, the voltage in the battery drops sharply. This lets you know that the dendrites have reached the critical length and in the near future may occur short circuit, according to the resource Gizmag.

According to the creators, when the voltage drops, the user may see a message about the threat of a short circuit, and thus he will have enough time to replace the battery.

It should be noted that in the future the developers plan to optimize the technology for use in batteries that are created from other materials.

Source: hi-news.ru