Engineers Develop Safer Button Battery

Button batteries, those easily ingested, little, disc-shaped batteries that power things like toys, watches, and hearing aids, are responsible for thousands of children’s emergency room visits every year. Some suffer severe injuries and even death as a result of the current these batteries release while in the digestive tract or as a result of battery leakage. However, a simple and cheap solution has been devised that could render the batteries harmless if swallowed. Engineers coated button batteries with a material that prevents them from releasing current unless they are squeezed firmly, as by springs in a battery compartment, and with a sealant that minimizes the risk of battery leakage. More… Discuss