Batteries with fire-extinguishers may answer Samsung prayers

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Samsung, Apple and other makers of phones with a worrying tendency to burst into flames should be pleased with scientists’ development of a battery with an integrated fire-extinguisher.

Screenshot of the article's title on the Science Advances website. /sciencemag.org

A team dominated by Chinese-born scientists at Stanford University inserted a special separator between flammable materials inside a lithium-ion battery. As detailed in their report published in the Science Advances journal on Friday, the separator will melt into a flame retardant under high temperatures to put out a fire.

Exploding phones became hot news last year when Samsung, the world's largest smartphone maker measured by market share, recalled nearly all its Galaxy Note 7 models – that's more than 2.5 million devices – after dozens of ignition cases were confirmed. A number of airlines banned passengers from carrying Note 7s onto planes over safety fears.

A Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, seen after catching fire in October 2016. /CFP Photo‍

Samsung thinks the fires were caused by a defect in the phones' batteries.

Gamers charge their mobiles as they use the Pokemon Go application during a gathering in Madrid on July 28, 2016. /CFP Photo

Another smartphone model affected by battery troubles is Apple's iPhone 6s, with eight ignition cases reported to China's consumer watchdog from September to November last year. Apple launched a battery replacement program following complaints.

Battery flammability has become more of an issue as smartphone power sources have got larger and more powerful in response to consumer demand for longer battery life.

From power banks and battery-saving apps to low-voltage chips, many tools have been developed to help us postpone the dreaded moment when our battery dies. If you're a regular Pokémon GO player, it is highly likely that you have all these tools but still don’t feel there is enough juice in your phone to enjoy the game with no worries.

Fire-proof, longer-life batteries may be just the ticket to solve this perennial problem for phone makers and users alike.