We’ve focused on the development of lithium-ion batteries, and for good reason. As technology evolves, and becomes an ever-growing presence in the promotional products industry, the science behind safer lithium-ion batteries is of high importance to promotional products distributors. Without a full understanding of the latest technology available, distributors and suppliers run the risk of having to deal with recalls, or worse, end-users getting hurt.
A team of scientists at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), the University of Maryland and the Army Research Laboratory have developed a new, flexible, lithium-ion battery that they say is safer, and can operate under “extreme conditions,” including cutting, submersion and ballistic impact.
Check out the video below:
During the test, the battery was left in the open covered only by insulating tape to keep it in place, according to TechXplore. While the battery was cut with scissors, submerged in synthetic seawater and subjected to impact, the battery kept working.
“We wanted to show the real implications of this technology in practical applications,” Kostas Gerasopoulos, senior research scientist and principle investigator at the APL, said, according to TechXplore. “Particularly for our military, with our [soldiers] exposed to extreme conditions and environments during their missions, the capability to maintain both safety and performance is unprecedented.”
While its use in extreme situations in the military may have been what they had in mind, it still benefits the average user. Think about how often people drop their phones in water or accidentally leave them in their pockets when swimming.
This development is an indication of the progress scientists are making to create durable, safe lithium-ion batteries.
