Panasonic develops battery that won’t overheat
Japan’s Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (Panasonic) said it has developed a lithium-ion battery that won’t overheat even if a short circuit occurs. The new battery includes a heat-resistive insulator inside the battery cell, next to an existing separator that insulates the anode and cathode. If that separator is punctured a short circuit occurs that typically causes the battery to overheat and in some circumstances catch fire. Panasonic said its insulator layer ensures that the battery won’t overheat even in the event of a short circuit.
Panasonic’s new batteries are made by another company in the Matsushita group, Matsushita Battery Industrial Co., and are ready for mass production, said Akira Kadota, a spokesman for Panasonic in Tokyo. The batteries aren’t available directly to end users but are sold in bulk to electronics product manufacturers, so Panasonic wouldn’t reveal their price. Kadota said they could be more expensive than current cells but could also work out cheaper if large orders are placed. Matsushita Battery Industrial is one of the largest battery makers in Japan.
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