Material addresses lithium battery safety

Stoba was developed in Taiwan at the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and sits between the positive and negative sides of the battery. When the battery heats up to 130°C, Stoba transforms from a porous material to a film and shuts down the reaction. According to senior researcher Alex Pang, the danger of exploding lithium-ion batteries is so great, that last month the US Transportation Department issued a 'hazardous materials' notice. Pang explained: "Many persons who ship lithium batteries do not recognise the hazards. Fires in aircraft can result in catastrophic events presenting unique challenges not encountered in other transport modes." Battery makers in Taiwan are in the testing stage and have ramped up manufacturing of Stoba equipped cells. According to Pang, potential customers could include Sony, Dell, Hewlett Packard, Acer, Apple and Nokia. The researchers predict that Stoba could be on the market as early as the first quarter of 2010.