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As you know, lithium-ion batteries are considered today as one of the key reliable power sources. They are widely used in various fields of activity, including the military. Not only electric cars or smart watches are powered by lithium-ion batteries.
For example, a submarine with lithium-ion batteries is already operating in Japan, and such submarines are being developed in South Korea and China. However, there has always been an acute issue with the safety of such batteries, including their tendency to sudden ignition when overheating. On a submarine, such a fire can lead to catastrophic consequences.
Recently, the journal Nano Letters of the American Chemical Society published an interesting article about a new solution by Chinese scientists that allows solving safety problems with lithium-ion batteries. In a lithium-ion battery, the liquid electrolyte can evaporate when overheated, causing a short circuit. It, in turn, can lead to thermal acceleration. So there is a risk of fire, which is very difficult to cope with.
To prevent possible risks, external ventilation openings, temperature sensors or fire-resistant electrolytes are used. But these measures are often insufficient. Yapei Wang, Kai Liu and their colleagues from Tsinghua and Renmin Universities in Beijing were puzzled by the question of creating a safe lithium-ion battery that could turn off quickly, but work just as well as existing batteries. Scientists used a thermosensitive polymer to create a material capable of passing electrons, but with strong heating it would become an insulator.
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Japanese submarine Jsōryū powered by lithium-ion batteries
At a temperature of about 92 degrees Celsius, a microscopic three-dimensional pattern appears, programmed in the polymer, which destroys the copper layer and stops the flow of electrons. This prevents a potential fire. At normal operating temperatures, a battery with a new polymer is able to maintain high performance, low resistivity and the same cycling life as a traditional rechargeable battery currently in use. The widespread introduction of this technology, according to Chinese scientists, will lead to an increase in the safety of lithium-ion batteries.
The use of lithium-ion batteries in the military sphere can significantly increase the combat capability of the armed forces of those countries that will actively implement them. They can be used in underwater and surface fleets, for unmanned vehicles, combat vehicles, and various types of weapons.
