Lithium-ion batteries are a hot commodity for the renewable energy industry. Rechargeable batteries need two components for a chemical reaction to occur: a lithium metal anode that oxidizes and releases electrons and a nickel-rich oxide cathode that charges those electrons. In some cases, a single lithium battery car fire requires as much as 30,000 gallons of water to fully extinguish. They then tested it against a standard industry lithium battery by gradually raising their internal temperatures. If scalable, the team’s design could help prevent countless battery fires by staving off even the initial flames—but it’s that detail that will be key to its success.