NOVEL NON-AQUEOUS ELECTROLYTES FOR A HIGH RATE PRIMARY MAGNESIUM BATTERY

THE NAVY CURRENTLY USES AQUEOUS ELECTROLYTE-BASED MG PRIMARY BATTERIES IN A VARIETY OF WEAPONS SYSTEMS. OWING TO PARASITIC MG/H(2)O CORROSION REACTIONS, DELIVERABLE VOLTAGES AND ENERGY DENSITIES ARE SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THEORETICAL. MOREOVER, VOLTAGE DELAYS OFTEN COMPROMISE PERFORMANCE AND THEEBY APPLICABILITY. THUS THERE IS A NEED FOR NEW NON-AQUEOUS ELECTROLYTES COMPATIBLE WITH MG BATTERY CHEMISTRY. OUR EXPERIENCE WITH ORGANIC ELECTROLYTES FOR LI BATTERIES SUGGESTED A NOVEL NON-AQUEOUS ELECTROLYTE FOR THE MG ANODE. DURING PHASE I WE PLAN ON INVESTIGATING THE MG OPEN CIRCUIT CORROSION RATE, ANODE EFFICIENCY, RATE CAPABILITY, AND THE NATURE OF MG/NON-AQUEOUS SURFACE FILMS. FINALLY, MG/MNO(2) AND MG/(CF[X])(N) PRIMARY CELLS WILL BE DISCHARGED EMPLOYING THE NEW NON-AQUEOUS ELECTROLYTE.