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Lithium, an ideal metal for battery manufacturing, has the ability to store a large amount of charge. In recent years, with the surging demand in fields such as new - energy vehicles and new - type energy storage, the global lithium - ion battery market has entered a period of rapid development.

However, if the inner layer of a lithium - ion battery is squeezed and causes a short - circuit, fires and rapid combustion may occur. Zheng Bin, an associate professor at the Department of Fire Engineering of the Chinese People's Police University of Disaster Prevention, has analyzed in detail the reasons why lithium - ion batteries are flammable and burn rapidly, mainly involving the following points: First, high energy density. Lithium - ion batteries have a high energy density, enabling them to store a large amount of energy in a relatively small volume. Once the battery experiences thermal runaway, the energy stored in the battery is rapidly released, causing the combustion rate to increase sharply. Second, thermal runaway. When thermal runaway occurs inside the battery, it triggers a series of exothermic chemical reactions. These reactions promote each other, causing the temperature to rise rapidly, which in turn accelerates the speed of chemical reactions, forming a vicious cycle. Third, generation of combustible gases. During the process of thermal runaway, the electrolyte and other chemical substances inside the battery may decompose to produce various flammable and toxic gases, including but not limited to hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), etc. The presence of these gases increases the risk of combustion. Fourth, internal short - circuit. Dendrite growth, diaphragm rupture, or other forms of internal short - circuits inside the battery can lead to a sharp increase in current, generating a large amount of heat, thus triggering a chain reaction of thermal runaway.