To the makers of smartphones, power grids and electric vehicles, lithium—the lightest metal—allows batteries to become supercharged, underpinning hopes for a greener economy and longer-lasting devices.

But the very traits that make lithium game changing for energy storage can pose overpowering challenges should the batteries ever catch fire. Incidents involving lithium-battery fires are becoming more common around the world, raising safety concerns.

Water isn’t always an effective combatant for certain types of lithium-battery fires, leaving little option other than waiting things out or using costly suppressants. Combating fires involving lithium-batteries can be difficult due to the emission of toxic gases. Then there is the heat: The fire’s ignition is more intense than an oxy-acetylene torch, which can be roughly 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit or more, or about five times hotter than many house fires.

lithium 鋰

pose 擺姿勢、引發、造成

electric 用電驅動的

underpin 支撐

device 裝置

game changing 改寫產業規則的

overpowering 強烈的

combatant 戰士

suppressant 抑制劑

emission 排放

toxic 有毒的

oxy-acetylene 氧乙炔(熔接常使用之物質)

torch 火炬、火焰噴嘴

Fahrenheit 華氏 （Celsius 攝氏)

原文網址：https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/lithium-batteries-are-set-to-power-the-worldand-pose-new-fire-risks-6ac07247

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