A possible replacement for Lithium Ion?

[retired1]

http://www.economist.com/news/scien...ay-displace-lithium-ion-design-their-time-has

Interesting concept. However, as these have the ability to store 4 times the energy of a standard Lithium Ion battery, does that make them 4 times as volatile?

 

[Rossum]

However, as these have the ability to store 4 times the energy of a standard Lithium Ion battery, does that make them 4 times as volatile?

Not necessarily. How much energy is stored in a BIC lighter (a device that's roughly the size of an 18650)? I'd wager it's an order of magnitude more, yet they don't go "boom" very often and generally aren't perceived as a hazard.

 

[DaveP]

The new version of that battery, according to the article, use liquid oxygen. Isn't that rocket fuel? Maybe the technology delivered to the public will be tamed down a bit.

The crucial difference between Dr Li’s design and previous attempts is that no actual air is involved. Instead, the cell is hermetically sealed and uses oxygen stored inside the battery itself, in a chemical called lithium superoxide (LiO2). Because this compound is unstable, it is easily induced to surrender some of its oxygen.

To stop the superoxide disintegrating spontaneously, Dr Li embed it in the voids of a matrix made of cobalt oxide (yellow, in the artist’s imagining below left, in which white spheres represent lithium ions, red ones oxygen ions and blue streaks the crackle of electricity). This gives the superoxide’s structure stability.

 

[Virtual Life]

It is interesting. If I got the numbers right then 4 times the capacity or 400% and loses 8% of that or 368% or 3.68 times the capacity remains. They claimed a 2% loss of capacity after 130 cycles (3.6 times the capacity) which is still a very high number.

Or I am all wet and way off.

 

[wiredlove]

Not necessarily. How much energy is stored in a BIC lighter (a device that's roughly the size of an 18650)? I'd wager it's an order of magnitude more, yet they don't go "boom" very often and generally aren't perceived as a hazard.

LOL, only because the media moved on from Bics to Ecigs. When I was younger we used to try and make them explode.

20 years ago ->

10 Deaths, Hundreds Of Injuries Tied To Bic Lighters

Since then, the only 'improvement' I've seen on lighter safety is the addition of the annoying child-protection, but you know, compressed flammable gas in flimsy plastics...

 

[Rossum]

LOL, only because the media moved on from Bics to Ecigs. When I was younger we used to try and make them explode.

20 years ago ->

10 Deaths, Hundreds Of Injuries Tied To Bic Lighters

Since then, the only 'improvement' I've seen on lighter safety is the addition of the annoying child-protection, but you know, compressed flammable gas in flimsy plastics...

Yeah, when I was young, I threw one in a camp fire once just to see what would happen. The results were educational, to say the least.

 

[retired1]

LOL, only because the media moved on from Bics to Ecigs. When I was younger we used to try and make them explode.

20 years ago ->

10 Deaths, Hundreds Of Injuries Tied To Bic Lighters

Since then, the only 'improvement' I've seen on lighter safety is the addition of the annoying child-protection, but you know, compressed flammable gas in flimsy plastics...

Never carried one of those. Got used to carrying a Zippo due to being in the military. Bic's and other "compressed gas" lighters were a no-no on most military flights.

 

[DaveP]

Never carried one of those. Got used to carrying a Zippo due to being in the military. Bic's and other "compressed gas" lighters were a no-no on most military flights.

Zippo was fine as long you didn't try to over-saturate the cotton. I remember hot days and bright red fuel burns on the thigh from a Zippo in a pants pocket. I learned quickly to stop filling once the top cotton changed from white to just a little grey.