Technology:
Tosoh, one of Japan’s leading
chemical companies, developed a material to prevent a lithium-ion battery from growing
abnormally high and exploding. Only a small amount of the new material is mixed
with electrolyte to work. The company has already started the performance test
with more than 10 domestic battery manufacturers, and it is ready to mass
produce this new material for small amount. Because Boeing’s 787s are not
allowed to fly because of battery trouble, Tosoh’s new material seems to
attract attention as a solution.
The company
launched two types of an inhibitor that prevents the fire and a flame
resistance digestive that extinguishes the fire. Both are liquid, and the
former is mixed with electrolyte at a concentration of 5% and the latter is
mixed at concentration of 20%. The inhibitor suppresses abnormal resolution of
electrolyte even if the temperature of a battery exceeds 80 degrees centigrade,
and prevents combustible gas from generating and the pressure inside the
battery from rising. The flame resistance digestive stops combustion, and the
fire can be extinguished in less than five seconds even if the battery catches
fire. At this moment, Tosoh can produce the inhibitor and flame resistance
digestive for 10 tons per year each. It plans to increase the production
capacity up to 1,000 tons per year with an investment of several hundred
million yen to star mass production in 2014.
Japan Airlines
Boeing 787 at Narita
Airport
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