TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The intumescent material is calcium gluconate, magnesium gluconate, a material having a glass transition temperature below 250 degrees C and a blowing agent with activation temperature of 50-250 degrees C, a shape memory polymer, or an Expancel (RTM: Microsphere comprised of isobutane (6-11 wt.%) (dried product), copolymer (90 wt.%) (dried product) and water (85 wt.%)). The intumescent material coating further comprises: a tetrahydrofuran-based-16-crown-4 compound; and a lithium ionophore, where the lithium ionophore is lithium ionophore I-IV, lithium ionophore VI, VII, or VIII. The intumescent material coating comprises a porous material, where the porous material is a zeolite, high porosity alumina aerogel, high porosity silica aerogel, high porosity silica xerogel, or high porosity sandstone.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: The electrochemical device further comprises a positive electrode (16), a negative electrode (12), a separator, and a casing, where the separator, the positive electrode, or the negative electrode comprises the intumescent material and the intumescent material is incorporated in the positive electrode, the negative electrode, or the separator as an incorporated intumescent material. The intumescent material is coated on the surface of the positive electrode, negative electrode, or separator as an intumescent material coating. The intumescent material is present at 0.001-40 wt.%, which is sufficient to disrupt a short circuit in the electrochemical device. The electrochemical device further comprises: an electrolyte (14) solvent; and a heat suppressant material.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The separator comprises a polymer including: thermoplastic polymer, elastomer, or a gel; or polyether ether ketone, thermoplastic polyimide, polybenzimidazole, high-temperature sulfones, polyamide-imide, fluoropolymer, polyethersulfone, liquid-crystal polymer, polyetherimide, nylon, polyphenylene sulfide, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinylidene fluoride, polypropylene or polyethylene.