The Dangers of Lithium-Ion Batteries and the Promise of SafeCore Technology

You may have read about lithium-ion batteries in the news lately, but it probably wasn't good news. Cell phone batteries have exploded on airplanes and at least two houses have burned down because of hoverboards catching on fire. But Am I Onyx is looking to change all of that with its SafeCore battery technology.

We're here in Carlsbad, California, checking out their claim that you can shoot a bullet into this battery without it exploding. When a lithium-ion battery goes up in flames, it can happen fast. The temperature can hit several hundred degrees Celsius in a fraction of a second. That's because most lithium-ion batteries contain a flammable liquid electrolyte and only a thin plastic separator to keep the positive and negative sides of the battery from touching.

If you crush puncture or overcharge a battery, the positive and negative sides can come into contact creating a spark of electricity that sets the whole battery on fire. But now watch this SafeCore lithium-ion battery get abused the exact same way - stab, crunch, no reaction. And yes, before you ask, we did check that both sets of batteries were fully charged after seeing how standard lithium ion batteries fare under stress testing.

You're probably a little concerned about carrying one of these in your back pocket on the other hand. These are SafeCore lithium-ion batteries - you can see them in my hands. Something I definitely couldn't do with those exploded lithium ions. So, how is this possible? Am I Onyx has a secret sauce, literally this black gunk is what keeps SafeCore batteries from exploding.

This material is designed to separate at 100 degrees Celsius before the battery can explode. The material detaches creating a physical gap like a fuse that keeps electricity from flowing fast enough to totally destroy the cell. Which means your battery gets warm instead of exploding. I think we can all agree that's better. And because the secret is a special goop, you can spoon on to existing battery parts - no need to buy new battery making machines.

Am I Onyx believes the entire lithium-ion battery industry could be up and running in months not years. They think SafeCore batteries Michael places. We've been reluctant to put lithium ion batteries before like all-electric airplanes home energy storage or even inside your body because you'd want those batteries to be pretty much bulletproof.

Speaking of which, that's a battery with SafeCore and that's one without - we've smashed them, we punctured them, we've even put some bullet holes through them and still no fire. We don't know when or where SafeCore batteries might show up first, but if someone were to give me an option I know which one I'd want in my cell phone - this one not the exploding one.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enyou may have read about lithium-ion batteries in the news lately but it probably wasn't good news cell phone batteries have exploded on airplanes and at least two houses have burned down because of hoverboards catching on fire am i onyx is looking to change all of that though with its safe core battery technology we're here in Carlsbad California checking out their claim that you can shoot a bullet into this battery without it exploding boom when a lithium-ion battery goes up in flames it can happen fast the temperature can hit several hundred degrees Celsius in a fraction of a second that's because most lithium-ion batteries contain a flammable liquid electrolyte and only a thin plastic separator to keep the positive and negative sides of the battery from touching if you crush puncture or overcharge a battery the positive and negative sides can come into contact creating a spark of electricity that sets the whole battery of flame but now watch this safe core lithium-ion battery get abused the exact same way stab crunch no reaction and yes before you ask we did check that both sets of batteries were fully charged after seeing how standard lithium ion batteries fare under stress testing you're probably a little concerned about carrying one of these in your back pocket on the other hand these are safe course lithium ion batteries you can see I'm holding them in my hands something I definitely can't do with those exploded lithium ions how is this possible a me onyx has a secret sauce literally this black gunk is what keeps safe cores batteries from exploding a me onyx won't share the formula but it's a material designed to separate at a hundred degrees Celsius before the battery can explode the material detaches creating a physical gap like a fuse that keeps electricity from flowing fast enough to totally destroy the cell which means your battery gets warm instead of exploding I think we can all agree that's better and because the secret is a special goop you can spoon on to existing battery parts no need to buy new battery making machines a me onyx believes the entire lithium-ion battery industry could be up and running in months not years and they think save core batteries Michael places we've been reluctant to put lithium ion batteries before like all-electric airplanes home energy storage or even inside your body because you'd want those batteries to be pretty much bulletproof right speaking of which that's a battery with safe core and that's one without we've smashed them we punctured them we've even put some bullet holes through them and still no fire we don't know when or where safe core batteries might show up first but if someone were to give me an option I know which one I'd want in my cell phone this one not the exploding oneyou may have read about lithium-ion batteries in the news lately but it probably wasn't good news cell phone batteries have exploded on airplanes and at least two houses have burned down because of hoverboards catching on fire am i onyx is looking to change all of that though with its safe core battery technology we're here in Carlsbad California checking out their claim that you can shoot a bullet into this battery without it exploding boom when a lithium-ion battery goes up in flames it can happen fast the temperature can hit several hundred degrees Celsius in a fraction of a second that's because most lithium-ion batteries contain a flammable liquid electrolyte and only a thin plastic separator to keep the positive and negative sides of the battery from touching if you crush puncture or overcharge a battery the positive and negative sides can come into contact creating a spark of electricity that sets the whole battery of flame but now watch this safe core lithium-ion battery get abused the exact same way stab crunch no reaction and yes before you ask we did check that both sets of batteries were fully charged after seeing how standard lithium ion batteries fare under stress testing you're probably a little concerned about carrying one of these in your back pocket on the other hand these are safe course lithium ion batteries you can see I'm holding them in my hands something I definitely can't do with those exploded lithium ions how is this possible a me onyx has a secret sauce literally this black gunk is what keeps safe cores batteries from exploding a me onyx won't share the formula but it's a material designed to separate at a hundred degrees Celsius before the battery can explode the material detaches creating a physical gap like a fuse that keeps electricity from flowing fast enough to totally destroy the cell which means your battery gets warm instead of exploding I think we can all agree that's better and because the secret is a special goop you can spoon on to existing battery parts no need to buy new battery making machines a me onyx believes the entire lithium-ion battery industry could be up and running in months not years and they think save core batteries Michael places we've been reluctant to put lithium ion batteries before like all-electric airplanes home energy storage or even inside your body because you'd want those batteries to be pretty much bulletproof right speaking of which that's a battery with safe core and that's one without we've smashed them we punctured them we've even put some bullet holes through them and still no fire we don't know when or where safe core batteries might show up first but if someone were to give me an option I know which one I'd want in my cell phone this one not the exploding one\n"