Today we are surrounded by lithium-ion batteries, from earbuds to electric vehicles to satellites Things can go bad, most consumers are not really aware about the chemistry and potentially hazards since it's heavily under communicated. Not really trying to raise a discussion about the topic but rather raise awareness to todays grand portable tech. Fire/smokealarm should be mandatory in every rom where lithium-ion batteries are stored.
A year ago, 47 Freeway in the Long Beach area was closed for ~ 3 days. Pepe's Towing Service covered this with more intensity Very volatile stuff.
Even the most commonly used mobile phone lithium batteries aren’t safe, they heat up after a while, hope future technology will be safer
But I wonder what would happen if people were obliged to acquire at least basic education and knowledge. Would this then there be some kind of catastrophe, or would there be fewer such articles and writings? The problem is not with any batteries, but only with people who are unable to figure out how to use them. And the number of such "people" is growing every day, and it seems growing up exponentially. So - there is nothing wrong or bad with these batteries, everything, what is wrong and very bad, is with the people, who don't really know much enough and they are even not capable of anything more. Nothing is dangerous if it used correctly.
Two counterarguments: 1. Li-Ion and Li-Po batteries can have factory defects, especially the cheap ones from PRC sold on online platforms. Veritasium covered it extensively: 2. These batteries are literally popped in everywhere, often without the customer being aware. How do you take care of something you don't even know is in there?
You can't expect consumers to understand the chemistry, it took decades to invent this to todays stable solution by far more sharper people than on MDL. It's still (in right conditions) a volatile "molotov coctail" without the need of oxygen. Edit "without the need of external oxygen"
And car batteries are full of toxic lead and skin-eating sulfuric acid. If you're not careful and even a little bit of the fluid inside spills on you, it's immediate hospitalization. Alkaline batteries leak caustic base chemicals that cause nasty chemical burns. Getting that on skin or in eyes is not ideal, to say the least. It causes many ER visits, although less than Li-Ion and car batteries. Pick your battles. Most battery technologies that we use today are incredibly dangerous if not used properly. It's about the same rate between Li-Ion and lead-acid right now (excluding ingestion), although lithium-ion battery hospitalizations are becoming more common year-by-year as we buy EVs, phones, earbuds, vapes, etc. and put our trust in this volatile technology. Scientists are researching solid-state batteries. When those become commercially viable, we will have a significantly safer arsenal of devices and house fire and hospitalization rates will plummet.
Maybe, but they are not built in everywhere. Agreed, but the technology is mature and leaking is rare. Plus, leaking and possibly burning the skin is still not the same as being an explosive fire hazard in your pocket. Looking forward to that date. Edit: Thread moved to Serious Discussion, as it is a topic people must be made aware of. Those batteries are everywhere.
Indeed. True. In general, chemical burns is seriously something you should have in mind. But none of those are prone to spontaneous combustion. In a consumer perspective most are labeled as keep out of reach for the young ones , do not eat, etc etc ad nauseam... So, a manufacturer got it covered legally. I dear you to find a label stating "Lithium-Ion battery - do not penetrate with a conductive pick" anywhere. And none can really say when a (Lithium-Ion) battery goes bad before it really goes bad, good quality batteries will make that tiny difference. Ignite 1.32 US gallons of petrol, it will say boom (depending on gas concentration) and then continue to burn. But you will have a fighting chance to kill it. Ignite a fully charged pad (example), it will not say boom but it will make a firework and the heat will be intense, most likely you will run away. I think these two are comparable but the pad would win by a long run. Nobody will store flamable liquid inside a home (which is less prone to spontaneous combustion) compared to a cheap electric bike in the living room for charging over night. (inside, outside, close enough to burn your home into oblivion) Awareness, that's all.