Screening study of lithiated catholyte mixes for a long-life Li(Si)/FeS/sub 2/ thermal battery
The inability of the standard catholyte used by Sandia National Laboratories to meet all of the discharge requirements of a 60-min Li(Si)/FeS/sub 2/ thermal battery necessitated the evaluation of lithiated catholytes as a replacement. Over 100 experimental mixes were examined as part of a screening study using a 5-cell battery as a test vehicle. Parameters studied included: catholyte composition (extent of lithiation), lithiation agents (Li/sub 2/S, Li alloys, Li/sub 2/O), processing technique (single step vs. multiple step, heating conditions), type of electrolyte-binder mix used in the catholyte (SiO/sub 2/-based vs. MgO-based), and the effect of Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/ impurity in the mix. The deformation behavior at 530/degree/C of pellets of the more promising lithiated catholytes was measured, to evaluate their behavior under simulated battery-discharge conditions. A thermoanalytical study was also conducted to help identify deleterious chemical reactions which occur during heating of the precursor mixes, and to define the chemistry associated with the lithiation processes. The better lithiated catholytes were subjected to performance-verification tests and were then tested in the 10-cell 60-min thermal battery. The best overall results were obtained with Li/sub 2/O-lithiated catholytes, with optimum performance occurring at a Li/FeS/sub 2/ mole ratio of /approximately/0.16. The initial voltage transient which normally occurs upon activation of Li(Si)/FeS/sub 2/ thermal batteries was totally eliminated and the pulse performance of the battery near the end of life was significantly improved. 24 refs., 40 figs., 12 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 6563230
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-85-1737; ON: DE89006857
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
250600 -- Energy Storage-- Thermal
250902* -- Energy Storage-- Batteries-- Performance & Testing
250903 -- Energy Storage-- Batteries-- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400400 -- Electrochemistry
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALLOYS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DATA
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTROLYTES
ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
IMPURITIES
INFORMATION
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON OXIDES
IRON SULFIDES
LITHIUM ALLOYS
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
LITHIUM OXIDES
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PELLETS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SOLID ELECTROLYTES
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TESTING
THERMAL ANALYSIS
THERMAL BATTERIES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS