If Lithium is dangerous, Chlorine is taking it up a notch. As far as I understand it basically sets anything it touches on fire, and at high concentrations is deadly within a few breaths.
While that is true, using it safely in batteries is a solved problem.
The Stanford researchers have just found a method to modify the existing non-rechargeable lithium-thionyl chloride batteries, to become rechargeable.
Lithium-thionyl chloride batteries have been used for almost a half of century in applications requiring the highest reliability and you can buy them easily from many stores.
It can combust when it comes in contact with many substances but much less so than lithium. It is a lot more toxic than the lithium salts in batteries.
Can't chlorine be easily neutralized by something... basic, like soda (the powder) or other cheap and safe carbonates? A small amount if them could even be a part of a battery's coat, to allow more time to safely react to a leak.
The Stanford researchers have just found a method to modify the existing non-rechargeable lithium-thionyl chloride batteries, to become rechargeable.
Lithium-thionyl chloride batteries have been used for almost a half of century in applications requiring the highest reliability and you can buy them easily from many stores.