High temperature lithium cells

Lithium-Aluminum/Metal Sulftde Batteries. The use of high temperature lithium cells for electric vehicle applications has been under development since die 1970s. Advances in Hie development of lithium alloy-tuelal sulfide batteries have led to the Li Al/FeS system, where the following cell reaction occurs,... 

When or-Fe203 was used as the positive electrode in high-temperature lithium cells, the introduction of a small amount of lithium into the corundum-type structure caused the hexagonal-close-packed oxygen array to shear irreversibly to cubic-close packing which generated a defect /-Li FCjOj (spinel-type) structure. Further lithiation resulted in the formation of LiFe,Ojj thereafter, the reaction followed the same sequence as that shown in reactions (4), (5) and (6) [100]. The stability of the spinel structures at elevated temperatures, as well as the ability of the cubic close-packed oxygen array to accommodate lithium at the expense of... 

Vissers DR, Tomczuk Z, Steunenberg RK (1974) A preliminary investigation of high temperature Lithium/lron Sulfide secondary cells. J Electrochem Soc 121 665-667... 

Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) are currently being developed for natural gas and coal-based power plants for electrical utility, industrial, and military applications. MCFCs are high-temperature fuel cells that use an electrolyte composed of a molten carbonate salt mixture suspended in a porous, chemically inert ceramic lithium aluminium oxide (LiAI02) matrix. Since they operate at extremely high temperatures of 650°C and above, non-precious metals can be used as catalysts at the anode and cathode, reducing costs. 

High-Temperature Lithium Rechargeable Battery Cells... 

D. R. Vissers, Z. Tomczuk, and R. K. Steunenberg, A Preliminary Investigation of High Temperature Lithium/Iron Sulfide Secondary Cells, J. of the Electrochemical Society, Vol. 121, 1974, p. 665. 

The poor efficiencies of coal-fired power plants in 1896 (2.6 percent on average compared with over forty percent one hundred years later) prompted W. W. Jacques to invent the high temperature (500°C to 600°C [900°F to 1100°F]) fuel cell, and then build a lOO-cell battery to produce electricity from coal combustion. The battery operated intermittently for six months, but with diminishing performance, the carbon dioxide generated and present in the air reacted with and consumed its molten potassium hydroxide electrolyte. In 1910, E. Bauer substituted molten salts (e.g., carbonates, silicates, and borates) and used molten silver as the oxygen electrode. Numerous molten salt batteiy systems have since evolved to handle peak loads in electric power plants, and for electric vehicle propulsion. Of particular note is the sodium and nickel chloride couple in a molten chloroalumi-nate salt electrolyte for electric vehicle propulsion. One special feature is the use of a semi-permeable aluminum oxide ceramic separator to prevent lithium ions from diffusing to the sodium electrode, but still allow the opposing flow of sodium ions. 

Tellurium has been tested as a cathode material for use in conjunction with an anode made of alkali metal, primarily lithium, in power sources with a high specific energy and power [99], The theoretical specific energy for Li/Te pair is 612 Wh kg High-temperature (470 °C) cells with Li, Te, and eutectic (LiF-LiCl-Lil) electrolyte in the molten state, or with more convenient, albeit more resistive, paste-type electrolytes, have been tested in the laboratory. Similar layouts have been proposed for utilizing the Li/Se pair (theoretic cal specific energy 1,210 W h kg ) with the cell ingredients in the molten state (365 C) or with paste electrolyte at a lower temperature. 

High-temperature molten-carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs). The electrolyte is a molten mixture of carbonates of sodium, potassium, and lithium the working temperature is about 650°C. Experimental plants with a power of up to... 

Lithium oxide(s), 15 134, 141 Lithium perchlorate, 3 417 15 141-142 dessicant, 3 360 in lithium cells, 3 459 Lithium peroxide, 15 142 18 393 Lithium phosphate, 15 142 Lithium-polymer cells, 3 551 in development, 3 43 It Lithium primary cells, 3 459-466 Lithium production, 9 640 Lithium products, sales of, 15 121 Lithium salts, 15 135-136, 142 Lithium secondary cells, 3 549-551 ambient temperature, 3 541-549 economic aspects, 3 551-552 high temperature, 3 549-551 Lithium silicate glass-ceramics, 12 631-632... 

It has been known for some time that lithium can be intercalated between the carbon layers in graphite by chemical reaction at a high temperature. Mori et al. (1989) have reported that lithium can be electrochemically intercalated into carbon formed by thermal decomposition to form LiCg. Sony has used the carbon from the thermal decomposition of polymers such as furfuryl alcohol resin. In Fig. 11.23, the discharge curve for a cylindrical cell with the dimensions (f) 20 mm x 50 mm is shown, where the current is 0.2 A. The energy density for a cutoff voltage of 3.7 V is 219 W h 1 which is about two times higher than that of Ni-Cd cells. The capacity loss with cycle number is only 30% after 1200 cycles. This is not a lithium battery in the spirit of those described in Section 11.2. 

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