Chosen Solution

I replaced my old iPad mini 4 battery yesterday. I didn’t heat it as I was supposed to, so it was very difficult to remove the battery due to the adhesive. In the process, I bent the battery, heard crunching noises, and inadvertently ripped off part of the black casing with a metal tool to expose this white layer/casing underneath. While doing this I smelled what smelled like nail polish remover. I did not see any fumes/smoke/flames, however.

  1. Was this smell the battery leaking?
  2. What did I expose myself to, and is it toxic or carcinogenic?
  3. If I did not see any fumes, is it even possible that I was exposed to anything?
  4. Does ripping off the black encasing to expose the white layer underneath matter if I did not actually tear through this white layer to the core of the battery?
  5. Is my apartment safe to live in? Thank you

@js2454 the smell you get is most commonly from the solvents used with the batteries. Most solvents in Li-ion cells are odorless. The two that do smell, and have distinct odor, are dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and diethyl carbonate (DEC). DMC has an alcohol-like odor, while DEC has a weaker, milder ester-like odor (like nail polish). Neither are toxic in small enough doses. Your single battery will not do you or anybody else do any harm. You are safe :-)