Smaller IPods Pose Fire Hazards

The possibility of an even smaller iPod than the iPod mini was discovered due to advancements in batteries that use lithium ions. The iPod shuffle was a product of this newer battery that could more effectively store and discharge energy. While this smaller, more compact iPod may be more convenient for customers to carry, it poses a major safety risk to its listeners. IPods, laptops, and other electronics now using lithium ion batteries are more susceptible to overheating, and recently there have been many cases where overheating quickly leads to fire.

In an interview with Scientific American (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=lithium-ion-batteries-ipod-electronics-overheating-fire), an electrical engineer at the Argonne National Laboratory, Zonghai Chen, answers the pending questions of many consumers about new electronics and their hazard to our safety. Chen explains the main reason these fires occur is due to a chemical reaction that accelerateswith high temperatures. The reaction takes place when the lithium ion battery is charged, as the lithium is moved from the positive to negative electrode. This process generates heat and, when combined with high outside temperatures, the reaction can become unstable, overheat, and an explosion in the electronic can soon lead to a small fire.

Consumers should be cautioned because while fires start in other types of batteries, the lithium ion batteries are most sensitive to outside heat and will combust quicker than other types of batteries. If you use a device with this type of battery, Chen suggest storing electronics indoors in a cool place and to be cautious of how long these electronics charge, because this is the most likely time that they will overheat. Another tip is to install a cooling fan into the electronic device, especially for laptop computers.

Posted by Rachel Reed