Lumafield
Lumafield publishes study on the safety and quality of lithium-ion batteries
Lumafield has published the results of its study on the quality and safety of lithium-ion batteries. The industrial x-ray CT technology specialist’s study evaluates over 1,000 18650 lithium-ion battery cells from ten brands. Its results revealed a significant quality gap between brand-name batteries and low-cost cells available through online marketplaces. Almost 8% of low-cost or counterfeit batteries were found to potentially have a dangerous defect known as negative anode overhang. Additionally, key indicators of quality in low-end batteries were found to be seven times worse compared to name-brand options.
Lithium-ion batteries provide dense, portable, rechargeable power, and the 18650-form factor is ubiquitous. These cells can power everything from vapes and electronic toothbrushes to medical devices and select electric vehicles. However, quality levels vary significantly between brand-name original equipment manufacturer (OEM) cells, re-wrap cells that have had their plastic wrapper removed and replaced (often with inflated specs), and low-cost or counterfeit cells.
Battery defects like negative anode overhang and alignment misregistration can increase the risk of failure, impede the performance of the devices they power, or cause catastrophic fires. In 2024, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued 26 recalls and nine product safety warnings related to fire and burn hazards posed by battery overheating.
Overview of the report’s findings
To analyse the quality of 18650 cells, the company utilised its Ultra-Fast CT scanning on over 100 cells from each of ten different brands. The sample included cells from high-quality OEMs to counterfeits. The key findings from the analysis were:
- Of the 1,054 battery cells scanned, 33 had negative anode overhang.
- All 33 of the defective cells came from low-cost or counterfeit brands, meaning one in 13 low-cost/counterfeit batteries could have this defect.
- One low-cost brand bought on Temu had a 15% rate of negative anode overhang defects.
- Low-cost/counterfeit batteries are seven times worse than their OEM counterparts in other quality measures.
- Low-cost/counterfeit 18650 cells had 50% worse edge alignment compared to OEM cells, which can lead to performance degradation and internal short circuits.
- None of the brand-name OEM cells from Murata, Samsung, and Panasonic suffered from negative anode overhang.
- The risks in individual cells are compounded by the fact that many products include multiple 18650 cells, from five in a typical cordless drill to 39 in an e-bike battery pack that was scanned for the study.
“Non-OEM batteries are a minefield,” said Eduardo Torrealba, Co-Founder and CEO of Lumafield. “We’re seeing dangerous defects at a scale that should alarm every manufacturing leader. If you’re not policing your supply chain, you’re gambling with your brand and your customers’ safety. With trade barriers shifting weekly, risk compounds. Rapid industrial CT isn’t optional; it’s the best way to enforce safety and stop bad parts before they reach people.”
Industrial X-ray CT can be used to verify product quality; however, until recently, it has been a slow and expensive tool accessible only to the largest manufacturers. Lumafield has endeavoured to make industrial X-ray CT accessible and fast, with automated solutions that can scan more than 12 parts per minute and instantly flag defects.
“Many of us have become desensitised to warnings about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries, but our research underscores why consumers must be vigilant,” added Alex Hao, Author of the Lumafield Battery Quality Report. “It can be inconvenient to properly use, store, and dispose of batteries, but there’s no room for complacency. Furthermore, consumers should be mindful of where they buy their batteries. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.”
