Chinese team wins battery safety award

Breakthrough tech reduces danger of power units overheating, overcharging

Chinese scientists have won a prestigious European invention award for their work in innovating safer lithium ion batteries. The European Patent Office, or EPO, offered the European Inventor Award 2023 to Wu Kai and his team, for their work in developing a fail-safe battery barrier, which prevents them from overheating and becoming hazardous.

In an effort to reduce carbon emissions, the widespread adoption of large scale lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles has meant that there has been an increase in fire emergencies worldwide.

Prone to combustion, firefighters have discovered in recent years that such blazes are difficult to put out due to the chemicals in the battery self oxidising. This means that once started, the inferno is fuelled by oxygen in the surrounding air, and is capable of reigniting hours or even days after being extinguished. Improperly disposed burned batteries that are thought to have been put out can also cause a ticking time bomb if disposed of improperly in scrap yards.

While still a rare occurrence, lithium ion batteries, big or small, carry this risk. The award-winning failsafe developed by Wu and his team therefore holds huge applications for energy safety worldwide.

The safety short circuit device is a protective mechanism placed at the top of the battery cell. This cuts off charging if pressure builds up too much inside the battery from overcharging. This can also occur from overuse, as the cells within the battery begin to lose shape and allow the flammable electrolyte chemicals within to ignite.

Lithium ion batteries have excited many energy industries due to their sustainable nature, light weight and fast charging capacities. However, the fire risks associated with overcharging is an issue which has plagued the electrical vehicle sector for many years.

The Chinese team led by Wu managed to reach a solution in just 36 months, to international acclaim and recognition. The EPO prize ceremony took place earlier this month in Valencia, the Spanish city at the forefront of sustainability and home to the country's only dedicated car battery factory.

In an acceptance speech given remotely, Wu stated: "Electric vehicles powered by our advanced and safe batteries are enabling more people to embrace a sustainable lifestyle, contributing to the global energy transition.

"I hope that young inventors around the world adhere to the philosophy of learning more, doing more and asking more, to develop more innovations for the benefit of mankind."