Priority Electronics Blog

Rules for travelers change often. Effective since January 1, 2008 the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that a new rule regarding lithium based batteries would be put into effect. The new rule discusses loose batteries in checked and unchecked luggage.

According to the new flight rule, loose primary lithium or lithium-ion batteries will not be allowed in checked baggage. This rule mainly applies to people who like to pack spare batteries for either long flights or vacations. The types of batteries that this rule applies to are laptop batteries, cell phone batteries, camera and camcorder batteries, etc.

In the TSA’s statement, which can be found on their website, it states that the potential fire hazard from these batteries is considered a security risk. Although lithium batteries are not allowed in checked luggage, they are allowed in unchecked carry-on luggage.

Please note that the new rule does not apply to batteries that are installed in an electronic device. In other words, if you take an alarm clock with you or your cell phone, you can keep the battery inside your device. There is additionally a weight rule that applies to loose batteries. Spare laptop or cell phone batteries are limited to 8-25 grams of lithium content.

The following is a summary of some of the most important TSA rules and tips for traveling with lithium batteries:

1. Spare batteries must be kept in your un-checked baggage so that they can be  closely monitored.

2. Purchase your spare battery from a reputable company because the likelihood of you getting a defective battery decreases.

3. Make sure your battery has not been recalled. Often companies offer a list of recalled batteries directly on their site. If not, you can check the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s site for information.

4. Package your batteries well. They should be separated from each other and insolated so that they don’t touch any metal. Proper packing decreases fire hazards that could result from keeping your batteries near metal such as keys or coins.

5. You can easily damage a battery by applying too much pressure to it. Make sure your spares are not near any heavy objects that could trigger a short-circuit within your baggage.

6. If any of your spares have an on/off switch, make sure to put them in the “off” position.

The next time you decide to fly, remember these rules otherwise you may have your expensive replacement batteries confiscated.

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One of the biggest complaints of laptop users is that their laptop battery doesn’t last long enough. The necessity to constantly charge a laptop battery can be daunting for traveling business people and college students who need to take notes for hours at a time. What makes these scenarios particularly difficult is that a power outlet isn’t always nearby.

Imagine a world in which you could use your laptop for as long as 40 hours without needing to recharge. In a study done by Stanford University researchers a new nanowire was invented that could prolong the amount of time a laptop battery will work without recharging.

Currently lithium ion batteries use graphite anodes to retain their charge. Although this method is reliable, it limits the amount of time you can use your battery. On average, a laptop user could expect to get about 3-4 hours of run-time before needing to recharge.

The nanowires invented at Stanford are made out of a new type of silicon. In previous years, other researchers had trouble overcoming the limitations that result from using silicon as an anode in batteries. Over the years, researchers have been looking into silicon due to its ability to hold large amounts of charge. The challenge for researchers was that silicon has a tendency to break down quickly when used in lithium-ion batteries. By inventing a new type of silicon this problem was quickly overcome.

Researchers at Stanford found that their silicon nanowire anode could hold more charge than graphite. Their research shows that this new type of laptop battery could last as long as 40 hours on one charge.

This new technology could revolutionize more than just the laptop battery industry. This could be marketed in many industries that rely on lithium-ion batteries. However, there was no word on how long it would take to charge these new batteries as well as how many charge-discharge cycles they would last.

Further testing is currently under way. Stanford researchers have filed a patent and expect that this new technology could be in the hand of the consumer in the next few years.

Content for this article was partially obtained from the following articles:

CNET: “A Tenfold Improvement In Battery Life,” 2008
itBusinessEdge: Blog: “On The Horizon: A 40-Hour Laptop Battery,” 2008.

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It seems like only a few years ago the biggest improvement to a laptop’s entertainment value was the inclusion of DVD drives. With the advent of Blu-ray, it looks like DVD drives may be turning obsolete.

Now that the showdown between Sony’s Blu-ray and Toshiba’s HD DVD is over, laptop companies such as Dell are producing laptops equipped with Blu-ray devices. In recent news, Dell has even announced that it plans on distributing laptops with Blu-ray for under $1000.

However, even with Blue-ray becoming more affordable consumers may be skeptical about purchasing it. One of the biggest complaints that laptop users have is that their laptop battery doesn’t last long enough. For those users who, for the most part, keep their laptop stationary on a desk, plugging their laptop into an outlet for the duration of a movie is not an issue. For other users who travel and want to watch a movie while on a plane, train, or bus, saving power is extremely important.

The current issue with Blu-ray, as reported on sites like Wired.com is that the laser used in these devices as well as the amount of CPU it takes to decode data from a disc is extensive. Without a high powered laptop battery and high rated processor, consumers should expect to be close to a power outlet before playing a Blu-ray disc.

At their optimal performance value, the average laptop user can expect their laptop battery to last only a few hours. Current batteries could last as long as 4 hours if minimizing programs that require a lot of juice. Analysts have suggested that you can expect a Blu-ray device to suck up as much as half of your laptop battery life.

Currently, there are only a few laptops on the market that have the battery capacity as well as top processors to play Blu-ray discs for long periods of time. These laptops are expensive and only on higher end laptops. If Dell can truly come out with longer lasting laptop batteries and cheaper high-end processors to support Blu-ray, then it will revolutionize the Blu-ray market.

Until a change in Blu-ray or a change in the capabilities of a laptop happens expect Blu-ray to be more popular in other devices such as stand alone Blu-ray players or Blu-ray drives on desktops where portability is not an issue.

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A few years ago the IDC came out with an analytical report stating that the laptop would overtake the desktop by 2011. Now that we’re getting close to that predicted date some analysts believe that time may come sooner rather than later. Last year annual shipments for desktops grew by 2% whereas portable devices grew by 26.3%.

Companies such as Dell are currently shifting their focus toward producing more laptops and fewer desktops. In April of 2008 Dell announced the closing of their Austin, Texas plant and the lay-off of numerous employees. These changes are to save the company billions. In turn Dell hopes to use that money toward expanding their line of laptops.

Other PC manufacturers are expected to turn their focus on the laptop market as well. Part of this shift is due to technological advancements. As new advancements are made in the laptop industry, the differences between a laptop and desktop are decreasing. With the closing of this gap consumers are more inclined to purchase a laptop.

Portability plays another major factor in this shift. With laptops consumers can take their work anywhere. A person is no longer limited to working in one location. Many people use laptops while on flights, trains, or to get extra work done at home. Additionally, coffee shops, hotels, and libraries have made taking your work anywhere easier by offering wireless services.

Lower prices have also made laptops more accessible. Major discount retailers such as Wal-Mart have struck deals with manufacturers like Dell to bring better deals on laptops to the consumer. In addition, stronger competition between manufacturers encourages pricing wars that benefit the consumer.

Karine Paoli from the IDC stated the “IDC expects 2008 to be another buoyant year for the EMEA PC market. Notebooks will remain a key driver across the region, with total PC sales in EMEA expected to cross the 100 million mark.”

Despite the laptop taking a larger piece of the PC market, the desktop isn’t going out of consumer hands. Currently, desktops can store larger files. On a desktop computer you can add several hard drives to your computer. Laptops lack this advantage because a person would have to carry around several large accessories in order to store large files or programs. Carrying too many items in your laptop case defeats the purpose of having a portable and compact laptop. However, with newer technologies coming to the market, it won’t be long before the laptop’s capabilities will meet that of a desktop. Once this happens, it should be little to no surprise that desktops may become obsolete.

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Last month LG Chem, South Korea’s second largest battery manufacturer, caught fire. It is estimated that this fire will trigger a large price increase on laptop batteries.

The price increase will affect companies like Dell, HP, and Asus. These companies purchase most of their battery supplies from LG Chem. In total the shortfall of batteries that is likely to ensue could affect up to 40% of shipments from Taiwan.

Dell would not discuss how much prices will rise; however Dell’s spokesman Jess Blackburn was quoted as saying, “the industry is experiencing battery supply constraints because of these problems. Therefore, pricing is being impacted by current availability. But we are working with our partners throughout our supply chain to reduce the impact on our customers.”

Extra battery pack purchases may also be affected by the battery shortage. Larger battery retailers may be limiting the amount of batteries consumers can purchase.

Currently, LG Chem thinks it will be able to get its factory back to full production in two to three months. In the mean time, it will be up to other third-party battery manufacturing companies to increase production to meet the needs of the consumer.

At Priority Electronics, the fire will have little effect on our laptop battery prices. We do not purchase from LG Chem. We have other companies that produce quality laptop batteries for us. Our laptop battery prices are competitive and we offer a one year warranty. In this battery shortage think Priority Electronics as your fully stocked source for batteries.

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One of the biggest disadvantages with using battery powered products is that batteries have a limited lifespan. Expanding a battery’s lifespan is an area in which manufacturers of laptops, hybrid cars, and cell phones are constantly working on.

The Argonne National Laboratory recently announced that they have come up with a new way to develop lithium-ion batteries. With their latest discovery, Argonne is able to increase the battery capacity in lithium-ion batteries by up to 30%

Currently these batteries have many markets cornered, among them the laptop computer industry. In contrast with its previous counterparts, these laptop batteries tend to be more reliable as well as lighter. However, they also have a downside. Lithium-ion batteries tend to overheat and last about 750 charges, (which means your battery will last about 3years).

The new material used by Argonne would allow these batteries to be charged up to 1,500 times. This is a significant increase from 750. They accomplished this increase by creating a new compound within the battery that acts as a stabilizer.

Today’s laptop batteries use cobalt oxide electrodes. Using this electrode is the main cause for excessive heating. In order to combat the overheating issues as well as increase storage capabilities Argonne used manganese oxide.

Manganese oxide acts as a stabilizing force for a laptop battery because it contains more inactive materials that help balance out the electrochemically active ones.

This technology seems to be ideal for laptops and shows promise for cell phone use, but not quite so great for the hybrid car industry. However, Argonne is looking to expand their current capabilities to create a better power source for hybrid vehicles. In Argonne’s efforts to market this new battery they have made an agreement with Japanese company Toda Kogya.

The following statement was released by Gary Henriksen, Manager of the Electrochemical Energy Storage Department at Argonne, regarding this new deal: “Our agreement with Toda Kogyo is an important step toward bringing to market key advanced lithium-ion battery technologies that are being developed here at Argonne with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.” He also continued to say, “The technologies being licensed will enhance the performance, life and inherent safety of lithium-ion cells compared to those that employ the cobalt-based cathode technology that has dominated the market since the introduction of lithium-ion batteries in 1990.”

The Toda Kogyo Company has been around since 1823. It is the world’s leading manufacturer of iron oxide particles. Their designs for using these particles as well as their ability to manufacture new technologies will help bring these new batteries to the world market.

Currently, there is no word on how long it will take them to implement this discovery in laptops.

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In the past two years the world has seen several laptop computer manufacturers recall millions of batteries. The biggest recall occurred with Sony made batteries, which affected companies such as Dell, Toshiba, Apple, and several more. The recalls came after consumers reported fires caused by defective laptop batteries.

Since the recalls companies that specialize in the battery industry have been working on prototypes that will make them safer. The biggest challenge in creating a safer battery is finding a stable polymer that still conducts the lithium ions.

Researchers at the Frauhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC) in Germany have found a stable polymer. In a recent statement released on their company website, the ISC leader Dr. Kai-Christian Moller said “We have succeeded in replacing the inflammable organic electrolytes with a non-flammable polymer that retains its shape.This considerably enhances the safety of lithium-ion batteries. What’s more, because it is a solid substance, the electrolyte cannot leak out of the battery.”

In the same statement Moller also said, “Normally, the more solid a polymer is, the less conductive it becomes. But we had numerous parameters that we could adjust - for example, we can use coupling elements with two, three or four arms. As a result, we have more possibilities with Ormocer®s than with a single type of plastic.”

Currently the ISC has a prototype battery made. Although the prototype has been created it is far from being mainstreamed into cell phones, PDA’s, laptops, cordless screwdrivers, etc. This stage is just one breakthrough. The ISC hopes to have this new battery in electronic devices in 3 to 5 years.

It will take several years for production because the ISC has come across one challenge; creating a battery that will store the amount of energy that current batteries store. Once they create a larger storage capacity these batteries could revolutionize more then the laptop battery industry. They could be used for lawnmowers and cars. This new discovery could make battery fire hazard a thing of the past.

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