Lithium Ion Batteries with Reduced Risk Coming

A CNET article mentions Boston-Power, a small startup company founded by battery executives, as being on the verge of signing up a major notebook company to use their revised and less risky lithium ion batteries. Other firms are improving lithium ion batteries by changing the chemistry of the anode or cathode (i.e. contact ends). Boston-Power claims to have made improvements in 30 areas of manufacturing lithium ion batteries and has a patent for a lithium nickel cathode to replace the standard lithium cobalt cathode. Companies are still focussing on lithium ion batteries because lithium provides the best energy density and battery life of any other material. [Dana Baggett]