New invention addresses lithium battery fires

* New material may stop lithium battery fires, explosions

* Developer says solution may come to market in early 2010

By David Lawsky

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 11 (Reuters) - A new technology to prevent lithium-ion batteries from catching fire or exploding in laptops and mobile phones may be on the market as soon as the first quarter of 2010, its inventor said on Wednesday.

The invention, called Stoba, was developed at the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Taiwan's national research organization.

When lithium-ion batteries develop internal shorts they can quickly heat up to as much as 500 degrees centigrade (932 degrees Fahrenheit) and catch fire or explode.

Stoba sits between the positive and negative sides of the battery and when the battery hits 130 degrees centigrade (266 degrees Fahrenheit), Stoba transforms from a porous material to a film and shuts down the reaction.

"We have introduced a totally new material to the battery," said Alex Pang, the senior researcher who led a team that developed the new material over four years.

The danger of exploding lithium batteries is so great that last month the U.S. Transportation Department issued a "hazardous materials" notice.