http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/03/technology/samsungs-recall-the-problem-with-lithium-ion-batteries.html 2016-09-05 09:42:58 Samsung’s Recall: The Problem With Lithium-Ion Batteries The type of battery used in Samsung’s recalled smartphones is lightweight and powerful, and it has a troubled history. === Samsung Electronics announced on Friday that it Q. What is a lithium-ion battery? A. What are they used in? Chances are you encounter these on a daily basis. They are in smartphones, laptops, What is the problem with lithium-ion batteries? To ensure that the lithium-ion particles can move easily between electrodes, volatile and flammable chemical compounds are pressurized inside battery cells. The problem is that when a battery is charged and recharged, it generates heat. If that heat is not controlled properly, it can cause the compounds inside the battery to burst into flames or even explode. Those compounds can become similarly unstable if something punctures the battery cell. What happened with the Samsung phone? Samsung said it thought the problem came from a “minute flaw” in the production of the batteries. One theory was that a part inside the battery was coiled incorrectly, causing more stress. What does the recall cover? Samsung says it will replace phones in 10 countries where the device is sold and that it will take about two weeks to manufacture the replacements. What other products have had issues with the batteries? The batteries have caught fire inside smartphones, Boeing’s 787 Dreamliners were In May, the Transportation Department If the batteries are problematic, why do companies continue to use them? Battery technology has been slow to advance, largely because the products must pass rigorous safety testing. Lithium ion has proved to be low-cost and easily reproducible. And over all, they are pretty safe. While the fires and explosions are vivid, the incidents are rare, considering how many lithium-ion batteries are made and sold every year.