Li-CuO primary cells

The semiconductive properties and tunnel structure of sulfide and transition-metal oxides led to the use of these materials in lithium power sources (Table 2.5). Several lithium-based chemistries were successfully applied to replace the prior system Zn/AgO and later the lithium-iodine batteries in implantable medical devices [59-61]. For example, Li//CuO, Li//V205, Li//CF and more recently Li// Ag2V40ii couples have been adopted to power cardiac pacemakers requiring less that 200 pW [62,63]. The lithium/carbon monofluoride (Li//CFJ primary cells are very attractive in several applications because of the double energy density with respect to the state-of-the-art LiZ/MnOa primary batteries (theoretically 2203 against 847 Wh kg ). 

Several types of primary batteries have been developed that use lithium-metal anodes and solid cathodes. This entry reviews the more common commercial systems, namely Li-FeS2, Li-MnOa, and Li-CFx- Readers are referred to the relevant sections for information on Li-V20s and Li-Ag2V40ii cells that are used for reserve and medical battery applications, respectively. There has been a wide range of cathodes developed in the laboratory and also marketed for specialty applications [1], but most have never been produced commercially. (Li-CuO cells were made for some military applications [2], but production was discontinued in the mid-1990s). Before going into details on the aforementioned three types mostly used in consumer applications, we will cover the main characteristics that they have in common. 

As part of a program aimed at the prediction of the residual capacity of primary cells the impedances of small Li-CuO cells have been measured over a large frequency range. The results are recorded and an interpretation of the data is given in this paper. 

These researches opened the door to the fabrication and commercialization of varieties of primary hthium batteries since the late l%0s nonaqueous hthium cells, especially the 3-V primary systems, have been developed. These systems include lithium-sulfur dioxide (Li//S02) cehs, lithium-polycarbon monofluoride (Li//(CF t) ) cells introduced by Matsuschita in 1973, lithium-manganese oxide (Li//Mn02) cells commercialized by Sanyo in 1975, lithium-copper oxide (Li//CuO) cells, lithium-iodine (Li//(P2VP)1J cells. During the same period, molten salt systems (LiCl-KCl eutecticum) using a Li-Al alloy anode and a FeS cathode were introduced [1]. The lithium-iodine battery has been used to power more than four million cardiac pacemakers since its introduction in 1972. During this time the lithium-iodine system has established a record of reliability and performance unsurpassed by any other electrochemical power source [18]. 

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