Why Your Smartphone Battery Will Not Explode

The exploding batteries of the Samsung Note 7 made headlines across the globe. A company which was considered a pioneer in the field of mobile creation was suddenly under a dark cloud of suspicion. Did Samsung compromise safety for some extra bucks? Not likely when it’s reputation was at stake.

With the fear of exploding batteries following smartphone users, it made sense for researchers at the University of Stanford to begin a science project that looked into making batteries safer to use. The scientists have been working on a method to introduce flame retartdants into lithium ion batteries. While this does stop the batteries from overheating, it does prevent them from bursting into flames.

What the research scientists have done is to encapsulate a chemical called triphenyl phosphate into tiny sheaths made of plastic. The chemical is a common flame retardant. These sheaths are then inserted into the electrode which is positioned between the anode and the cathode. The plastic sheath keeps the retardant from touching the electrolyte material.

It is the electroyte material that is most imflamable and the source of the majority of batery fires. When the material overheats and may begin to produce flames, the plastic sheath melts and releases the triphenyl phosphate into the mix. This retards the formation of flames and reduces the chance of the battery fire. Thereby making sure that the smartphone battery will not explode. Now this is a science project with very practical use!