Fire-Fighting Battery Tech

Jan-18-17 Researchers have created a flame-retardant tech that can be integrated into batteries, helping prevent fires without damaging performance.

Developed by the team at Stanford University, the fire-fighting battery was created using electrospinning to encapsulate a thermal-triggered flame retardant into a polymer, microfiber shell. During normal operation, the shell contains the flame retardant and prevents it from leaking into the battery’s electrolyte—which can disrupt battery performance. However, if the temperature reaches 160°F, the shell will melt, releasing the fire-fighting chemical and putting out the fire.

The technology has been proven to work in coin cell batteries, leading the team to believe that with some alterations, it could also be successful in larger batteries.

Image Credit: National Transportation Safety Board
Smoke pours out of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner cargo hatch as the result of a lithium-ion battery fire.

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