Low-Cost Power Source (Thermal Battery)

This proposal provides for the development of low-cost 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 electrode was better than the standard PP cell. The cell also showed lower polarization during phased transitions due to improved mechanical bonding between cathode particles. The data presented substantiates 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. Tasks are delineated to achieve these goals.