Could all that Lithium be used to make a BIG bomb?
posted on 08/10/2006 3:03:21 PM EDT by BJClinton
BJ do you have any knowledge if it is possible for the batteries of these cell phones could be used to make a bomb?
Normally a Li-Ion battery would only explode if it was short-circuited or overheated, and wouldn't create a huge explosion (although it would certainly get one's attention). A large amount of it put together would create a large, very intense fire. It appears to be particularly unstable when exposed to moisture, and makes one wonder if there would be a connection between this and the banning of liquids and gels from aircraft....if the lithium was in a compartment of a water bottle for instance, and was allowed to combine, what would be the effect? Maybe someone with a better knowledge of chemistry could opine. The more likely use would be to disassemble the battery and remove the lithium, which is used as a reducing agent in making illegal drugs. As a sidelight, lithium is also a mood stabilizer found in prescription drugs such as Eskalith. Of course, the antenna and receiver in the phone would be used as part of the detonator of an explosive device...
As another sideline, modern cellphones contain what may be called a "smartchip" which actually contains all the information for a phone. If these guys were removing the chips, they could keep switching the chips in one phone and it would appear they were making calls from different phones with different numbers.