Lithium-Ion Battery Explosions Could Be Prevented by New Kind of Sensor

Study indicates that more than 20 lithium-ion battery fires or explosions were linked to electric and hybrid vehicles in 2021 alone.

Researchers have determined that a new kind of sensor can detect gas leaks in lithium-ion batteries prior to fires or explosions occurring, potentially reducing the number of these dangerous incidents.

According to findings published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces last month, sensors that can trace ethylene carbonate (EC) vapor leaking from lithium-ion batteries could help predict when one is poised to catch fire or explode.

Over the years, concerns about the safety of lithium-ion batteries have intensified due to incidents of fires and explosions across various products. Devices ranging from Samsung smartphones to self-balancing hoverboards and electronic cigarettes have led to severe burns and other significant injuries among consumers.

In this new study, a team of Chinese researchers developed a covalent organic framework (COF), a type of nanoporous material bonded at the molecular level, designed to function as a sensor for ethylene carbonate gas. This gas is a critical component of lithium-ion batteries and is often emitted before they explode.

The team of researchers, led by Liangdian Zhao, found that the new sensors could detect EC vapors at levels as low as 1.15 parts per million (ppm), which is a trace amount that might be released before an explosion.

Zhao’s team indicates that this sensor system could potentially be integrated into lithium-ion batteries when they are built, providing real-time warnings of gas leaks, and offering an early warning system for lithium-ion battery fires.

“This research represents the first reported development of a COF-based chemiresistive sensor for the selective detection of EC vapor, demonstrating the value of integrating computational screening with experimental validation,” Zhao said. “Our findings have significant implications for the design of porous materials for real-time electrolyte leakage detection in (lithium-ion batteries) under ambient conditions.”

Lithium-Ion Battery Fires and Explosions

Lithium-ion batteries have been notorious for their fire and explosion risks for decades, particularly highlighted by a series of laptop recalls initiated due to reports of devices overheating and igniting.

Already this year, lithium-ion battery lawsuits have been filed over multiple fire and explosion concerns, including Jeep battery fires in hybrid Wrangler vehicles, as well as SKIL power tool battery fire risks.

Several brands of lithium-ion-powered hoverboards have been implicated in numerous fire and explosion incidents. In 2020, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a warning against charging high-tech X1-5 hoverboards due to safety concerns. The following year, more than 230,000 Razor hoverboards were recalled after multiple reports of overheating and fires were reported.

In addition to the problems with hoverboards, e-cigarette explosion injuries have also highlighted the ongoing problems with lithium-ion batteries. A New Jersey man filed a lawsuit in 2016, claiming an exploding e-cigarette caught his leg on fire, and an e-cigarette explosion killed a Texas man in 2019.

The FDA has held hearings on these issues in the past, and e-cigarettes were banned from checked luggage in the U.S. in 2016, due to their explosion risks.