Lithium-ion batteries power a ton of devices we use in our day-to-day lives – smartphones, tablets, laptops and more. And ever since they began showing up in all of our mobile devices, we’ve known that these types of batteries can be extremely dangerous. So, in hopes to find out exactly what makes these lithium-ion batteries tick, a group of researchers at University College London have been using 3D and thermal imaging to find out what happens before, during and after batteries overheat.
Read more: Solving the battery life conundrum
Taking a look at the video below, the researchers heated a pair of batteries to 482 degrees Fahrenheit (250 degrees Celsius), taking a close look at what happens at all points during the overheating process. One of the batteries reached its tipping point at this temperature, all thanks to a term called “thermal runaway”. One researcher explains:
Thermal runaway means that at a critical temperature, the materials inside these batteries start to break down. And when heat cannot escape as fast as it’s being generated, this is a “runaway” reaction that cannot be stopped.
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