New Aviation Regulations Do Not Address the Root Problem of Battery Fires

Lithium-ion batteries are an integral part of almost every industry, from EVs and electronics to energy storage. With widespread adoption comes the unfortunate, increasingly common occurrence or at least risk of battery fires. And despite noble attempts to mitigate or contain risk, we need to do more to prevent fires from even starting in the first place

An Increase in Battery Fire Incidents in the Aviation Industry

The aviation industry is one of many indirectly experiencing an increase in battery-related fires in recent years. In 2024 the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration recorded three incidents every two weeks of lithium batteries overheating on planes globally, compared to just under one a week in 2018. Recent incidents including a cellphone battery igniting on a flight in Denver and a portable battery reportedly caused a fire on an Air Busan plane in South Korea are heightening awareness of the issue and sparking concerns amongst passengers, forcing airlines to revisit safety measures. 

Because of these concerns, several airlines in Asia this week announced they are tightening restrictions on carrying portable batteries. As of March 1, 2025, South Korean airlines require that all passengers keep their portable chargers within arm’s reach and out of overhead bins. Starting April 1, Singapore Airlines will no longer allow passengers to use or charge portable power banks during flights.  

The Real Issue Lies in the Battery Design to Mitigate Internal Short Circuits

While implementing these regulations may reduce the risk of fires, true prevention lies in addressing the root cause of the problem: the battery design itself. 

We’d all like to have the utmost confidence in the products we purchase or own, but people unfortunately should assume the products they have in their bag, home, or car may unknowingly contain dangerous defects due flaws during the manufacturing process. In fact, when it comes to lithium-ion products, many fire incidents and recalls are caused by machine, human or undetectable process errors. As such, to address the issue — reduce failures, prevent thermal incidents — it is critical we gain control through fundamentally better design in addition to process controls. 

The battery is simply an energy device, albeit a sophisticated one, where short circuits (when the positive and negative electrode are accidently connected) are often the most dangerous incidents we see. Monitoring for and preventing internal short circuits are by far the most crucial items that the battery industry needs control. But historically we’ve been at a disadvantage because there has been no way to see an internal short circuit from outside the battery and certainly not until it’s too late. 

Now today, if we focus on innovating and designing safer, more reliable battery technologies, we’ll be able to deliver a more effective, sustainable solution and reduce the risk of fires before they occur. While many industries continue to build on existing designs, focusing on new innovations and improvements can lead to better outcomes and fewer issues. 

24M’s Impervio separator aims to address the safety concerns in traditional lithium-ion batteries, including those in smartphones and portable chargers that are in the news with these recent airline regulations. Impervio technology prevents dendrites from creating internal shorts within the battery, even during overcharging, but also has the monitoring functions to detect the internal failure long before it occurs. It significantly reduces the risks associated with thermal runaway and extends battery life, making it a more resilient and reliable alternative.  

By embedding safety directly into battery design with solutions like Impervio, we can create more resilient, reliable and fundamentally safer energy storage solutions.