Lithium--water--air battery project: progress during the month of April 1977

Technical Report · Fri May 20 04:00:00 EDT 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7257364· OSTI ID:7257364

Cooper, J. F.; Hosmer, P. K.; Krikorian, O.

The energy efficiency of the aqueous electrolysis step in the proposed lithium production cell was experimentally determined. Coulombic efficiencies approach 100 percent above 0.7 kA/m/sup 2/, for amalgam concentrations of 1.0--1.2 at. percent Li, and for T = 21/sup 0/C. Under these operating conditions, cell voltage is 3.1 V, and the overall energy efficiency is 82 +- 1 percent. The anodic dissolution of calcium in mixed NaOH--NaCl electrolytes was studied in the concentration region near (1.6 M NaOH, 0.05 M NaCl). It was found that passivation could be effectively prevented by additions of water-glass, Na/sub 2/O . x(SiO/sub 2/), x = 3--5. An oscillatory phenomenon was discovered where the potential of the calcium fluctuates with an amplitude of 0.4 V and a period of about 25 s. Under investigation are several new concepts for the high-energy-efficiency production of lithium and calcium metals. 4 figures.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 7257364
• Report Number(s): UCID-17426-77-4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
250901* -- Energy Storage-- Batteries-- Design & Development
ALKALI METALS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE LABORATORY
LITHIUM
LITHIUM-WATER-AIR BATTERIES
METAL-GAS BATTERIES
METALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
PRODUCTION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
US AEC
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS