New and Improved Domestic Carbon Monofluoride for D-size lithium-primary battery cells.

This project will focus on the development of and system integration with new and improvedactive material for hybrid Lithium primary batteries of BA5790/U type. The material is known asCarbon Monofluoride (CFx). At the moment there is a singular supplier of this critical chemical inthe US. Introduction of an alternative supply for CFx material will eliminate the present risks ofsole sourcing, reduce logistics issues associated with limited availability of needle cokeprecursor raw material in synthesis of CFx, and help reduce the acquisition costs of BA5790/Ubatteries. Leading into this project, EaglePicher Technologies, a DOD Battery Prime and anapproved vendor of BA5790/U batteries to C5ISR, constructed the longest lasting primaryLi/CFx D-size battery cells using two battery-grade carbons produced by AETC, while JetPropulsion Laboratory reported favorable test results comparing these cells with NASAĺs EPTBuild 3 Europa Lander Cells. As part of the proposed project effort full D-size Li/CFx cells will beassembled and qualified by NASA JPL to present an alternative non-DOD market for AETC'snew materials while EaglePicher Technologies will qualify AETC's CFx as a second supplier toC5ISR hybrid Li/CFx-MnO2 D size-based battery platforms, to include Army's BA5790/U man-portable batteries.