Runaway risk of forming toxic compounds
Top Cited Papers
- 1 August 2003
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Nature in Nature
- Vol. 424 (6949) , 635-636
- https://doi.org/10.1038/424635b
Abstract
Lithium-ion batteries are stabilized by an ultrathin protective film that is 10–50 nanometres thick and coats both electrodes. Here we artifically simulate the 'thermal-runaway' conditions that would arise should this coating be destroyed, which could happen in a battery large enough to overheat beyond 80 °C. We find that under these conditions the reaction of the battery electrolyte with the material of the unprotected positive electrode results in the formation of toxic fluoro-organic compounds. Although not a concern for the small units used in today's portable devices, this unexpected chemical hazard should be taken into account as larger and larger lithium-ion batteries are developed, for example for incorporation into electric-powered vehicles.Keywords
This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
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