Eli5 why is heat dangerous to Lithium ion batteries and how much is dangerous?

Question

Eli5 why is heat dangerous to Lithium ion batteries and how much is dangerous?

In: 1

Answer 1

Lithium Ion batteries store a tremendous amount of energy, basically the atoms inside the battery “desire” to release energy, and that’s exactly what makes them a good battery.

For example, gasoline also stores a tremendous amount of energy (the molecules have a desire to release energy).

A ball held 2,000 feet in the air also stores a tremendous amount of energy (it’s atoms desire to be closer to the Earth).

For all these examples, storing energy is great, and can be used to accomplish tasks if released in a controlled manner.

But heating up a LIon battery can be like heating up a take of gasoline. It might cause all that energy to find a way of being released at once and that usually means some sort of explosion or at the very least, a really, really big fire.