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Many have faced this issue. So this is a general question. I am using a smartphone from last 3 years. Now it's battery is swollen and there is some liquid developed inside the battery. Due to this, the battery is pushing the cover out.

But the battery is working fine. I am unable to find a genuine battery for my smartphone model. And there are lots of fake copies available in the market in which I am not interested.

Please suggest me, is there any way to get the liquid out or make it to earlier dimensions by any other method without deterioration of the working battery.

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    Genuine does not always mean better.
    – Stan
    Feb 1, 2018 at 23:37
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    When a battery starts to swell, it is broken and CANNOT not be used anymore. This is a fire waiting to happen - and Lithium fires are very difficult to extinguish.
    – Hobbes
    Feb 19, 2018 at 11:26

4 Answers 4

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A battery, once it starts to expand or leak, cannot be safely "restored". A leaking battery will, at the least, corrode the phone and it also may catch fire. If you cannot change the battery yourself, take it to someone who can.

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    It's worth emphasizing that a swelling lithium-ion battery is at significant risk to catch fire or explode. If it's not possible to replace it, at least don't charge it, and don't transport it on aircraft. You're better off with an aftermarket ("fake") battery than with the swelled one.
    – Zeiss Ikon
    Feb 1, 2018 at 12:12
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The battery is unrecoverable. It must be disposed of carefully and safely.

You can possibly recover the phone. After removing the battery, you must carefully clean away any residue and liquid. Isopropenol can be used for this, or a fibreglass pencil if necessary. Wear gloves, what leaked out might be corrosive.

If in doubt, take the phone to a professional repair shop.

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I suggest getting a different battery. You may go to the store for a new battery, but make sure that you are getting the best battery you can for your money. Lots of stores and retailers will rip you off. Please note that good batteries aren't too expensive.

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No. When a battery starts to swell, it is broken and CANNOT be used anymore. This is a fire waiting to happen - and Lithium fires are very difficult to extinguish.

  1. it only addresses the symptom (gas forming inside the battery), not the underlying cause (battery is defective).

  2. Warnings saying "Do not pierce this battery" are plastered all over rechargeable batteries for a good reason: Breaking the seal can cause a fire.

What causes battery swelling:

Lithium-ion batteries use a chemical reaction to generate power. As the battery ages, this chemical reaction no longer completes perfectly, which can result in the creation of gas (called out-gassing), leading to a swollen battery. Additionally, if the battery’s internal layers do not maintain proper separation (due to damage or defect), out-gassing, swelling, and even fire can occur. Swelling is the result of particulates getting caught in between the layers of the battery and eventually puncturing the membrane that separate the layers. If the membrane has been compromised, moisture in the air can react with the cell, causing the cell to swell.

Swelling is caused by gas that forms in the battery. This damages the internal structure of the battery. A battery consists of thin layers of alternating materials. Normally a thin coating separates these layers. When the coating is damaged, a short can occur between layers: the battery will discharge through the short, generating enough heat to start a lithium fire.

When you puncture a battery, you release the gas, and press the layers closer together. You might get away with this initially, but the battery is now a time bomb: the coating is still damaged and a short could happen at any time (for instance, when you charge the battery, it'll heat up and the layers will shift).

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