Low-Cost Power Source (Thermal Battery)

This proposal provides for the development of low-cost Li(Si)/FeS2 thermal batteries through the use of novel and unconventional methods for electrode fabrication that should drastically reduce the cost of thermal batteries and dramatically improve performance. Preliminary tests have been carried out to show the feasibility of the preparation of the cathode electrode by painting. The capacity of the cell with the painted cathode was better than that of the standard cell with the pressed-powder (PP) cathode. This cell also showed lower polarization during phase transitions due to improved mechanical bonding between cathode (FeS2) particles. The data presented substantiate the contention that painted electrodes offer equivalent performance as standard PP electrodes but at a much lower cost. Work is needed to optimize the spraying conditions to achieve higher throughput and equivalent electrochemical performance in full-sized batteries. Also proposed is using this technology to prepare full-sized batteries by applying this technology to painted separators and anodes to ultimately prepare an entire three-layered composite cell. Tasks are delineated to achieve these goals.