INVESTIGATION OF POROUS LITHIUM BATTERY ELECTRODES.
Abstract
Theoretical and experimental studies have extablished the principles for designing rechargeable lithium electrodes having thin and inert supports that are either porous or nonporous. Using organic electrolytes saturated with lithium chloride, the electrolyte resistance was found to be the most important parameter. The best means to compensate for this resistance was found to be the allowance of expansion spacing for oxidation products such as lithium chloride. This lithium chloride was found to be nonadherent and to act as inert material that tends to constrict electrolyte conductivity. By using inert porous substrates with partial impregnation, this work has shown ways to minimize weights and to maximize the energy per unit of weight. The best electrodes required 8.0 g/whr for a nonporous foil-supported electrode and 9.5 g/whr for a porous electrode support partially impregnated with lithium when both types were discharged at about a 1.3 hour rate. The electrodes yielded up to 12 charge/discharge cycles over a period of about one week without signs of failure. At the same time, a need for a more stable electrolyte was clearly identified. By comparison, a commercial porous cadmium electrode requires about 17 g/whr at similar rates of discharge but yields thousands of charge/discharge cycles. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0808937
Entities
People
- Charles L. Faust
- D. E. Semones
- John Mccallum
Organizations
- Battelle Memorial Institute