Qualcomm has invested n Amionx, a company that specializes in technology that prevents lithium-ion batteries from being the source of a fire or explosion.

As part of its investment, Qualcomm President Derek Aberle will join the board of directors of Amionx.

Amionx has patented a transformative technology called Safe Core that acts like a circuit-breaker to prevent lithium-ion batteries from being the source of a fire or explosion.

As volumes grow and companies push the boundaries of lithium-ion battery technology, there have been an increasing number of battery fires and explosions which, in cases such as with Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, have resulted in billions of dollars of damages.

Amionx Safe Core is focused on safety from the core of the battery outward and works even when other safety measures fail or are not activated. Safe Core is applicable to other chemistries, as well as solid state. The implementation of Safe Core into existing battery manufacturing factories requires no additional capital cost and adds at most minimal cost to the bill of materials for the battery. Amionx is in the process of licensing its patented Safe Core technology for use in lithium-ion batteries globally.