Your smartphone has the potential of exploding, regardless if you have a Samsung or not. Okay, maybe that was a cheap shot. I promise I’m not a devote Apple user in disguise, ok? In fact, as a Google Pixel smart-user, I’m currently the Sweden to the tech world dilemma. A lithium-ion battery is the same no matter what device it is in.
Here Are The Facts:
Modern lithium-ion batteries that are used in smartphones and Tesla vehicles can be highly explosive. The point of its explosion is sudden and very hot.
This is How They Explode:
- An area of the battery starts to get too hot because of a short circuit in the charging circuit. It might also occur because of some other external cause.
- The chemical reaction inside the heated area stars to generate its own heat as well, spreading to other areas. This process is referred to as electrolyte overheat.
- This causes the electrolyte to give off steam, which burns the casing of the battery.
- Hot, inflammable liquid escapes and burns or melts the surrounding phone casing.
This reaction is known as thermal runaway, and while it is dangerous, manufacturers are constantly making new features for lithium ion batteries to prevent this from happening. Still, it doesn’t mean that we’re safe from potential explosions, no matter how rare.
What Batteries Are Doing Better:
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There are many non-inflammable additives that are added to the battery and electrolyte coatings.
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Built-ins that prevent against current surges.
- Circuit interrupt devices that open the circuit if the cell pressure goes past safe limits.
- Vents release gases if the cell expands beyond safety limits.
- Thermal fuses that break the circuit when temperatures reach a safety limit.
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This all means that in the event of a worst case scenario, the thermal runaway scenario essentially signals the phone to shut down, or the battery simply stops working.
Dropping the Phone:
Usually your battery will work as long as it is in good shape. This is why it’s important that you don’t repeatedly drop your phone, okay butterfingers? Most people think that when they go to the repair their damaged phone (essentially to fix a cracked screen), that they are fixing all the internal damage caused by the phone drop. That’s not true because a drop can alter the internal mechanical or chemical structure of the battery.
To tell if your battery has been compromised, open up the case and take a look. If you notice the battery is deformed, take it in right away. Another way of knowing if your phone has a bad battery is if there are frequent overheating.
Practice Good Battery Activities:
Don’t run intensive graphics that can strain your GPU, or use apps that can place too much demand on the CPU. Widgets that constantly run while you are multitasking your phone. You might also want to re-consider long phone calls, especially if they are frequent.
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