February , 2020

The so-called "blade battery" is actually a large battery cell longer than 0.6 m developed by BYD, arranged together in an array, and inserted into the battery pack like a "blade". On the one hand, it can improve the space utilization rate and energy density of the power battery pack; on the other hand, it can ensure that the battery cell has a sufficiently large heat dissipation area, and can conduct internal heat to the outside, thereby matching higher energy density.

The adoption of wearable electronics has so far been limited by their need to derive power from bulky, rigid batteries that reduce comfort and may present safety hazards due to chemical leakage or combustion. Researchers have now developed a soft and stretchable battery that relies on a special type of plastic to store power more safely than the flammable formulations used in conventional batteries today.

Lithium-ion batteries are in everything from cell phones to cars. However, recent incidents involving fires or explosions of these devices show there's a need for safer batteries. One option is to replace the flammable liquid electrolyte with a solid-state electrolyte (SSE). But some of the most-studied SSEs are themselves flammable, leaving the original safety concern unaddressed. Researchers now report in ACS' Nano Letters that they have developed an SSE that won't burn up.