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Title: Investigation of the dissolution of CaCrO/sub 4/ in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6929951

The rate of dissolution of CaCrO/sub 4/ in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic was measured by laser Raman spectroscopy after attempts at direct sampling of the melt and cyclic voltammetry proved unsuccessful. Increasing the calcining temperature of the CaCrO/sub 4/ prepared by General Electric Co., Neutron Devices Dept. (GENDD), for use in Ca/CaCrO/sub 4//Fe thermal batteries resulted in an increase in the average particle size, with a concomitant reduction in the rate of dissolution in the molten eutectic. CaCrO/sub 4/ obtained from a commercial supplier was found to contain a component that was resistant to dissolution in the molten eutectic; this resistance caused the commercial product to be less reactive than the GENDD-prepared CaCrO/sub 4/ in Ca/CaCrO/sub 4//Fe thermal batteries. Catholyte mixes formulated with characterized CaCrO/sub 4/ samples were tested in batteries under various load conditions. The performance of batteries containing the finely divided GENDD CaCrO/sub 4/ was inferior under light-load conditions to that of batteries with coarser material. The poor performance was the result of enhanced dissolution kinetics of the finer CaCrO/sub 4/, which caused greater generation of heat from chemical reactions at the anode.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
6929951
Report Number(s):
SAND-83-2272; ON: DE84016394
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English