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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Investigation of lithium thionyl chloride battery safety hazards. Quarterly technical progress report 29 Sep-31 Dec 81

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5790412

Glass Li/SOCl2 cells have been designed and built which will be used to discharge and overdischarge flat electrodes in sufficient but not excess electrolyte. The cells will be used for generation of electrolyte samples for chemical spectroscopy and overdischarged cathodes for morphological studies. A metal cell has been designed and built for overdischarge of flat electrodes. E.S.R., Raman, FTIR, and UV/VIS fluorescence spectra have been taken of electrolyte at various stages of discharge and overdischarge. Two chemical species detectable with ESR are generated on discharge. The first resonance found also in electrolyte solutions saturated with sulfur, develops uniformly through discharge. The second as yet unidentified species becomes evident towards the second half of discharge increasing species becomes evident towards the second half of discharge increasing in concentration faster than sulfur. Following removal from the cell, the second species disappears as visible fluorescence increases in intensity the sulfur related peak remains. Raman and FTIR spectra show a profusion of emission and absorption peaks respectively. Analysis of this data is still in process. Preliminary optical studies of overdischarged cathode studies in cathode limited cells show that lithium dendrites do grow on the surface of carbon.

Research Organization:
GTE Communications Products Corp., Waltham, MA (USA). Power Systems Operation
OSTI ID:
5790412
Report Number(s):
AD-A-129299/4
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English