Electrochemical cell utilizing molten alkali metal electrode-reactant

Patent · Fri Nov 04 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:864721

Virkar, Anil V.; Miller, Gerald R.

An improved electrochemical cell comprising an additive-modified molten alkali metal electrode-reactant and/or electrolyte is disclosed. Various electrochemical cells employing a molten alkali metal, e.g., sodium, electrode in contact with a cationically conductive ceramic membrane experience a lower resistance and a lower temperature coefficient of resistance whenever small amounts of selenium are present at the interface of the electrolyte and the molten alkali metal. Further, cells having small amounts of selenium present at the electrolyte-molten metal interface exhibit less degradation of the electrolyte under long term cycling conditions.

• Research Organization: Ceramatec, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-77ER04451
• Assignee: Ceramatec, Inc. (Salt Lake City, UT); University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)
• Patent Number(s): 4,407,912
• Application Number: 06/310,859
• OSTI ID: 864721
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/429/
additive-modified
alkali
alkali metal
amounts
cationically
cell
cell comprising
cell utilizing
cells
cells employing
ceramic
ceramic membrane
coefficient
comprising
conditions
conductive
conductive ceramic
contact
cycling
degradation
disclosed
electrochemical
electrochemical cell
electrochemical cells
electrode
electrode-reactant
electrolyte
electrolyte-molten
employing
exhibit
experience
improved
improved electrochemical
interface
ionically conductive
membrane
metal
metal electrode
metal electrode-reactant
metal interface
molten
molten alkali
molten metal
resistance
selenium
sodium
temperature
temperature coefficient
term
utilizing
utilizing molten
various
whenever