When the battery was first invented in the 1800s, its energy storage capabilities unlocked innovation in unimaginable ways. From discs of copper and zinc held together by old-school electrolytes, the battery has evolved to the point wherein it's an essential part of everyday life. Since its inceptio Contact online >>
When the battery was first invented in the 1800s, its energy storage capabilities unlocked innovation in unimaginable ways. From discs of copper and zinc held together by old-school electrolytes, the battery has evolved to the point wherein it''s an essential part of everyday life. Since its inception, several types of batteries have been released into the market, such as alkaline, nickel metal hydride (NiMH), and lithium.
In addition, some uses for lithium-ion batteries, such as EVs, have external factors, such as charging rates, weather conditions, and charging practices, that affect their overall lifespan. Newark Electronics confirms that it''s even possible for lithium-ion batteries to age, even without any use, due to continuous discharge. Lithium batteries can also degrade to issues beyond your control, such as due to manufacturing defects, which could lead to deadly consequences.
Typically, battery swelling is a symptom of a variety of problems. For example, this could be due to something as simple as usage, such as overcharging or using the wrong voltage. Or, the bloating could be due to something beyond your control, such as manufacturing defects like damaged membranes. Aside from the obvious cosmetic issues this brings, such as bulging cases, it can also be potentially dangerous.
New Jersey residents filed a class-action suit against Apple in 2019 due to a battery swelling problem with the Apple Watch. Considered a safety hazard, the plaintiffs claimed that the battery swelling problem was said to physically pop off or break the Apple Watch screen.
In 2021, another class action lawsuit filed in California claimed every model produced lacked any "thermal or other solution to prevent and/or mitigate the danger of a detached, shattered, or cracked Watch screen resulting from the insufficient space allocated within the device for the rectangular shaped, electromagnetically charged lithium cobalt oxide battery."
Although Court House News shares that parts of this case were dismissed, it doesn''t negate the risk of personal injury that was confirmed. Aside from Apple, many other electronics companies which use lithium-ion batteries suffer from the same issue.
Because of their energy efficiency and lightweight nature, lithium-ion batteries are the top choice for many of today''s electric vehicle manufacturers. Although they''re relatively less prone to overheating, lithium-ion batteries can still catch fire, most commonly due to thermal runaway or uncontrollable heating. In fact, over 240 lithium-ion battery fires broke out across 64 municipal waste facilities from 2013 to 2020 in the United States (via the Environmental Protection Agency).
In 2016, Samsung permanently discontinued its Galaxy Note 7 line due to a design flaw that caused units to not just overheat but quite literally explode. This came after several users reported their Galaxy Note 7 devices exploding, including the replacement models. A few months after production was stopped, CNBC shared that Samsung pointed to issues with welding defects and short-circuiting lithium-ion batteries. Since then, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall has covered 1.9 million Galaxy Note 7 phones in the United States.
While some people get away with throwing AA batteries in the trash, the EPA recommends that lithium-ion batteries should never be included in household garbage or ordinary recycling bins. Because lithium-ion batteries are prone to fire, they can cause trouble from the transport process, such as in the trucks, to the actual landfill.
Therefore, it''s vital to bring your unusable lithium-ion batteries to the appropriate waste collection and recycling facilities. In addition, the EPA also recommends taping terminals and keeping them in plastic bags. However, it cautions that it''s best to check specific battery manufacturers for the appropriate disposal practices.
Although there has been a newly discovered method for recycling lithium, the reality is the proper disposal of household battery items takes a lot of effort. Not everyone has the time and energy to go to certified electronics recyclers.
According to EPEC, lithium batteries clock in as the most expensive out of all the types of battery chemistries, with prices for lithium batteries ranging around $132 per kWh in 2021. However, because they''re more efficient, the cost is often justified by how long they are used.
While lithium-ion batteries are still the top choice for many types of electronics, our changing needs as a society require more efficient battery components in the future. Not to mention, there''s hope that it becomes more affordable due to falling lithium prices.
In addition, we''re developing new types of battery technology, like aluminum-ion batteries, that can charge significantly faster than lithium-based batteries. That said, they typically don''t have the same density as lithium-ion batteries. With fast charging being a critical issue for electric vehicle owners, this could potentially lessen the barriers to EV transition, even if it means less range per charge.
New lithium metal batteries with solid electrolytes are lightweight, nonflammable, pack a lot of energy, and can be recharged very quickly, but they have been slow to develop due to mysterious short circuiting and failure. Now, researchers at Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory say they have solved the mystery.
"Just modest indentation, bending or twisting of the batteries can cause nanoscopic fissures in the materials to open and lithium to intrude into the solid electrolyte causing it to short circuit," explained senior author William Chueh, an associate professor of materials science and engineering in the School of Engineering, and of energy sciences and engineering in the new Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.
"Even dust or other impurities introduced in manufacturing can generate enough stress to cause failure," said Chueh, who directed the research with Wendy Gu, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering.
The problem of failing solid electrolytes is not new and many have studied the phenomenon. Theories abound as to what exactly is the cause. Some say the unintended flow of electrons is to blame, while others point to chemistry. Yet others theorize different forces are at play.
Many of today''s leading solid electrolytes are ceramic. They enable fast transport of lithium ions and physically separate the two electrodes that store energy. Most importantly, they are fireproof. But, like ceramics in our homes, they can develop tiny cracks on their surface.
The researchers demonstrated through more than 60 experiments that ceramics are often imbued with nanoscopic cracks, dents, and fissures, many less than 20 nanometers wide. (A sheet of paper is about 100,000 nanometers thick.) During fast charging, Chueh and team say, these inherent fractures open, allowing lithium to intrude.
In each experiment, the researchers applied an electrical probe to a solid electrolyte, creating a miniature battery, and used an electron microscope to observe fast charging in real time. Subsequently, they used an ion beam as a scalpel to understand why the lithium collects on the surface of the ceramic in some locations, as desired, while in other spots it begins to burrow, deeper and deeper, until the lithium bridges across the solid electrolyte, creating a short circuit.
The difference is pressure. When the electrical probe merely touches the surface of the electrolyte, lithium gathers beautifully atop the electrolyte even when the battery is charged in less than one minute. However, when the probe presses into the ceramic electrolyte, mimicking the mechanical stresses of indentation, bending, and twisting, it is more probable that the battery short circuits.
A real-world solid-state battery is made of layers upon layers of cathode-electrolyte-anode sheets stacked one atop another. The electrolyte''s role is to physically separate the cathode from the anode, yet allow lithium ions to travel freely between the two. If cathode and anode touch or are connected electrically in any way, as by a tunnel of metallic lithium, a short circuit occurs.
"Given the opportunity to burrow into the electrolyte, the lithium will eventually snake its way through, connecting the cathode and anode," said McConohy, who completed his doctorate last year working in Chueh''s lab and now works in industry. "When that happens, the battery fails."
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