This $50 power bank is safer than my lithium-ion battery — ZDNet

RESOLVING THE LEDGER

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.By now, most of us have seen videos of the power bank fires on commercial airliners. If you haven't, well, here you go: I'm flying again in a few days. As I'll be taking a power bank with me, I'm keen not to be in the news -- or in a national air accident investigation body's report -- as the owner of a power bank that went rogue on a plane. And to be honest, it's not just power banks on aircraft that bother me. I don't want that issue happening in the car, in my backpack, or next to my bed when I'm dreaming of the next bit of kit I'll be reviewing. Also: You're charging your phone all wrong: 6 common myths, debunkedThe problem is that lithium-ion batteries are flammable. But what if there was a safer alternative? There is, in the form of semi-solid-state batteries. And one company that's pushing these devices as a safer alternative is . The dangers of lithium-ionWe think that modern lithium-ion batteries hold a lot of charge, but they don't. The explanation is that modern electronics are very efficient. A modern iPhone has a battery that's about the same capacity as a 5,000mAh power bank. That might be enough power to get you through a day of scrolling on your phone, but in food terms, it's about 16 calories, and a medium banana has more than six times the calories (around 100 calories). However, the risk is about the speed at which that power can transform into fire. A chunk of banana in the overhead locker isn't going to burst into flames, but 5,000mAh is also equivalent to about half a teaspoon of gasoline. As someone who messed around with gasoline a lot as a kid, I'm well aware of how surprisingly dramatic the results of even a tiny amount can be. In an overhead locker, surrounded by all sorts of flammable materials, that power is enough to cause significant problems.Also: The 7 tech travel hacks I swear by - after years of learning the hard wayEven more worryingly, 5,000mAh is small for power banks. You can take a 27,000mAh power bank on board with no problems (and up to 100,000mAh with approval on some airlines), which has a power capacity equivalent to a couple of teaspoons of gasoline.And while on the whole, power banks are safe, there are so many of them now in circulation -- not to mention being made daily -- that we're seeing some big recalls. Over the last year, Anker has issued recalls for several power bank models, and one model alone accounts for more than a million units. Now scale this issue out to lithium-ion batteries in everything else, from smartphones to laptops, and electric toothbrushes to rechargeable dog brushes, and there is a lot of potential for tiny fires to spring into life. What is a semi-solid-state battery?A semi-solid-state battery is like a standard lithium-ion battery, but the flammable liquid electrolyte has been replaced with a thick, mostly inert gel or paste. So, you get the benefits of lithium-ion -- the energy density and recharge cycle lifespan -- but with less scope for fire if the cell is punctured or overheats.Also: There are hundreds of power banks on the market, but this one is the fastest at rechargingThat capability represents a huge leap forward in safety. Without the flammable electrolyte, there's a lot less to burn.These semi-solid-state batteries should not be confused with solid-state, in which the electrolyte is a rigid ceramic, glass, or solid polymer. One thing I've noticed is that companies -- ReelCharge included -- often mix up semi-solid-state and solid-state. Even the box for the power bank I tested lists it as having a solid-state battery. This approach could be marketing shorthand. However, I wish companies would avoid this stance because it creates confusion in an already-confusing market. I hope Veratek -- the company behind ReelCharge -- clears up this situation in the future.Also: My top-rated laptop power bank works with almost any model - and has a useful displayA question I've been asked lately is why don't the big-name manufacturers -- like Anker -- shift from lithium-ion to semi-solid-state? After all, if power banks are bursting into flames on aircraft, this switch might go some way to making things safer.I wondered the same, so I asked around. Turns out that while no one wants to go on the record about it, recalls and videos of power bank fires on aircraft have worried the industry. Companies are already seeing more support queries from concerned owners. On top of that issue, it seems that none of the big makers are interested in releasing power banks branded as "safer" because that approach implies their earlier tech wasn't safe, which would worry customers even more. Look at how portable power station manufacturers shifted from lithium-ion to LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate) batteries. The firms mostly focused on things like "automotive grade" and increased lifespan, rather than talking about how the tech reduced the likelihood of that big box filled with batteries bursting into flames. Also: I've tested dozens of cheap portable power stations and this EcoFlow is my favoriteThe other problem is scale and cost. There are countless companies out there making lithium-ion battery packs in all sorts of shapes and sizes. You can buy these batteries in bulk, and cheaply. Again, what I've been told on background is that there are a handful of semi-solid-state battery manufacturers, whose products cost about two to three times as much, and that's with low demand. This analysis checks out given the price of lithium-ion power banks compared to units using semi-solid-state tech (there's a two-times premium). So, for now, you have to rely on smaller brands trying to carve out a market through differentiation, and marketing their products as safer than the competition. Sidenote: If you think lithium-ion is bad, then let me introduce you to lithium-polymer (LiPo) batteries. These are used for years in the RC cars and planes -- and more recently in cheap hoverboard...

This $50 power bank is safer than my lithium-ion battery — ZDNet | AIPROPX