[junto]

After watching that it made me think that lithium batteries could be turned into a weapon on a plane by terrorists.

Assuming that they are that easy to accidentally short them out.

Should they not be a banned from being taken in the cabin?

[centizen]

They aren't really that easy to weaponize, at least not any more. The earliest kinds of Lithium cells actually contained elemental lithium, and could easily cause fire or explosion under certain conditions. Think the Dell laptop fire batteries.

Lithium _Ion_ batteries produced today are newer designs which use an intercalated Lithium compound (usually with Cobalt, Iron or Manganese) which greatly improves the stability of the battery while under stress. Further to that, pressure venting is almost always incorporated into the canister enclosing the cell, allowing it to depressurize in a safe manner similar to capacitors.

That's not to say they are totally safe - all batteries require a great deal of care and not all Lithium batteries incorporate these safety features. The pouch cells used in RC aircraft, for example can catch fire fairly easily due to their lack of a strong outer shell, their extreme power density and lack of any protection circuitry. These are heavily regulated and you would not be allowed to take them in your carry-on, and all Lithium Ion batteries over a certain Wh rating are similarly controlled.

[lytfyre]

> [RC pouch cells] are heavily regulated and you would not be allowed to take them in your carry-on

Speaking at least for Canadian airlines, you're incorrect - I asked ahead, and was told that I could bring them, but _must_ have them in my carry on. (and protect the connectors, etc.)

[iamds]

It's probably not banned because someone who could take over a plane with a lithium battery could take over a plane without a lithium battery.

[bitJericho]

Batteries above a certain capacity are not allowed.

http://blog.tsa.gov/2013/06/travel-tips-tuesday-safely-packi...

[leephillips]

But someone who could take over a plane with a nail clipper could probably manage without it, too.

[kd0amg]

And the TSA allows nail clippers in the cabin.

[fnordfnordfnord]

Any idiot could use one to set a plane on fire.

[coldpie]

What makes you think banning in-cabin items has anything to do with actually making air planes more secure?

[sp332]

http://xkcd.com/651/

[DanBC]

> After watching that it made me think that lithium batteries could be turned into a weapon

Lithium batteries have vents, so they don't explode they just "phhuut".

[goodcanadian]

Vents can be blocked if you are trying to make it explode . . .

[fnordfnordfnord]

Yup. Also, don't forget about what small amounts of Mercury https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7Ilxsu-JlY

or Gallium https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7Ilxsu-JlY

could do. Happy flying!

[obsurveyor]

The USPS has already banned shipment of lithium batteries overseas because of suspicions of battery fires in flight causing cargo jet crashes. When it was first created, the ban included devices as well as just solo batteries but it looks like that has been loosened.

[shawnz]

> After watching that it made me think that lithium batteries could be turned into a weapon on a plane by terrorists.

They can be: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH6GpXAXmx8

[daigoba66]

The funny thing is that in the US you're not allowed to have loose lithium batteries in your checked baggage, but you can carry them on the plane.

[goodcanadian]

If the battery spontaneously combusts in the hold, you have a serious problem. The fire will be quite large before anyone knows about it. If your laptop catches fire in the cabin, you'll probably scream immediately, and they have burn proof fire bags to shove the laptop into.

[benjymau5]

Many airlines also wont allow shipments of lithium or things containing lithium batteries on passenger flights. Apparently they have a habit of spontaneous combustion. So shipments of iphones have to be specially packaged and sent on cargo flights.

[TazeTSchnitzel]

They'd probably ban them if people didn't want to use laptops and phones.