| notebook are everywhere these days. You can't sit | | | | to become potentially more dangerous. |
| in a coffee shop or travel on a plane without seeing | | | | The manufacturing process for lithium-ion batteries is |
| at least a couple people typing away on their laptops. | | | | quite delicate. It involves volatile elements and |
| | | | requires precise assembly. If any metal particles – |
| The overwhelming popularity of laptop computers | | | | even microscopic – come into contact with other |
| and the demands of consumers have driven | | | | parts of the battery, an internal short circuit in the |
| innovation and development in the technology for | | | | battery may result. Errant metallic particles are the |
| both laptops and the batteries that power them. | | | | cause to which one of the largest battery recalls is |
| Laptop batteries are smaller, lighter, and last longer | | | | attributed. Unless contaminated in this way, a |
| than ever before. They are also safer. Older types of | | | | lithium-ion battery will simply shut down when a short |
| nickel-based batteries can explode if overcharged. | | | | circuit occurs. |
| New lithium-ion batteries do not run this risk. | | | | |
| Laptop ComputerBatteries Recalled If lithium-ion | | | | If a battery is contaminated, however, a short circuit |
| batteries are safer, why have we seen so many | | | | or increase in temperature can cause "thermal |
| batery recalls in the news in the past few years? | | | | runaway," a situation in which an increase in |
| First of all, it's likely that manufacturers are simply | | | | temperature causes a further increase in temperature |
| taking a conservative approach to managing potential | | | | and ultimately a destructive result. Because lithium-ion |
| safety issues. Even a relatively low failure rate has | | | | batteries are sealed systems and this heat energy |
| caused a recall of millions of notebook batteries. | | | | must somehow escape, an explosion can result. |
| To preserve consumer safety and build confidence in | | | | Exploding laptop computer batteries have caused |
| their products, manufacturers often choose to recall | | | | extensive damage to pieces of equipment and also, |
| their batteries rather than leave a questionable | | | | most importantly, have caused human injury. |
| product on the market. As consumers, we should be | | | | Lithium-ion Batteries Are Safe Incidents of explosion |
| genuinely reassured by this vigilance on the part of | | | | and injury have been, however, very rare. |
| manufacturers. It assures us that they are also taking | | | | Manufacturers have added important measures to |
| measures to improve manufacturing methods and | | | | keep lithium-ion batteries operating safely. Most |
| the overall safety of the batteries to avoid recalls in | | | | batteries are equipped with dividers to separate |
| the future. | | | | individual cells, meaning that if one cell fails due to |
| | | | excessive heat, it will be restrained from spreading |
| The Makeup of Laptop Computer Batteries | | | | the heat and failure to additional cells. |
| Ultimately, though, lithium-ion batteries are compact | | | | Manufacturers are constantly striving to improve |
| containers for a great deal of energy. As batteries | | | | manufacturing processes and add even more safety |
| become more powerful to meet consumers' | | | | measures to laptop computer batteries. |
| demands, the extra stored energy can cause them | | | | |