Lithium batteries used in the production of domestic and foreign-made mobile phones and portable multimedia players are vulnerable to high temperatures, the government technology standard agency warned yesterday.

The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards said tests conducted on products made from 13 companies showed no explosions taking place due to extreme heat or external shocks, but that some battery packs became deformed, causing damage to the products.

Batteries tested were those used by manufacturers Samsung Electronics, LG, Motorola, Sharp, Hyundai Autonet, SKY, Maxian and Yukyung Technologies. Samsung and LG are the world's top producers of mobile phones.

The tests, conducted in accordance with International Electrotechnical Commission standards, showed "swelling" occurred in the casing of mobile phones and portable media players, or PMPs, if batteries were exposed to 130 degree Celsius (266 Fahrenheit) heat for 10 minutes.

"There were no explosions, although battery packs became deformed," a KATS official said.

He added that more tests simulating daily conditions showed damage to PMPs and mobile phones that were exposed to 80 and 110 Celsius heat for seven hours, respectively.

This article appeared on www.joongangdaily.joins.com

Aug 5, 2008

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