High Power and Capacity Anode for Thermal Battery

The present thermal battery technologies cannot currently meet future requirements that call for higher power and capacity with a smaller footprint. The principal avenue for increasing thermal battery specific energy is to identify and develop new electrode materials and electrolytes which provide higher specific capacity at higher operating voltages. The overall objective of the proposed effort is to develop (design, fabricate, test and demonstrate) novel nano-structured anode materials for thermal battery with enhanced electronic conductivity and Li+ storage capacity. During Phase I, computational models will be used to optimize the technology concepts, and the optimized designs samples of the material will be fabricated, tested and characterized. Experimental hardware and instrumentation (currently under development at CFDRC) will be leveraged for technology development. During Phase II, materials/chemistries and synthesis processes will be optimized. Test cell will be prototyped and battery testing will be carried out. An experienced, multi-disciplinary team with expertise in design and testing of microsystems, electrochemistry, and battery technology has been assembled to successfully meet project objectives and milestones.