HIGH-ENERGY LITHIUM RECHARGEABLE BATTERY SYSTEM FOR TRANSCUTANEOUS ENERGY TRANSMISSION

IT IS PROPOSED TO INVESTIGATE A NEW APPROACH FOR DEVELOPING A HIGH-ENERGY RECHARGEABLE LITHIUM BATTERY SYSTEM FOR USE INPERCUTANEOUS OR TRANSCUTANEOUS TRANSMISSION OF ENERGY IN THEARTIFICIAL HEART PROGRAM, E.G., FOR VENTRICULAR ASSIST SYSTEMS (VAS). THE NEW APPROACH IS BASED ON THE DEVELOPMENTOF A MORE ENERGETIC CATHODE MATERIAL WHICH OPERATES BY THE TOPOCHEMICAL INSERTION MECHANISM OF LITHIUM IONS DURING THE DISCHARGE PROCESS. IN THIS APPROACH, A SPECIALLY PREPARED AMORPHOUS TRISULFIDE WOULD BE USED ALONE OR WITH AN ADDITIONOF TIS2, AS A HIGH ENERGY CATHODE MATERIAL. THIS APPROACH APPEARS VERY PROMISING FOR REACHING EVEN HIGHER RATE CAPABILITIES WITH GOOD RECHARGEABILITY. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE NEW APPROACH COULD PROVIDE RECHARGEABLE LITHIUM BATTERIES WITH PRACTICAL ENERGY DENSITIES IN THE RANGE OF 98-143 WH/KG COMPARED TO ONLY 24-33 WH/KG FOR THE PRESENT NICKEL-CADMIUM CELLS, A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT. THERE ARE MANY IMPORTANT PROBLEMS THAT MUST BE SOLVED ON THE ROAD TOWARDS PRACTICAL HARDWARE, BUT IN PHASE I, ELECTROCHIMICA WILL CONCENTRATE ON THE PROBLEM OF THE CATHODE, ITS ENERGY DENSITY AND CYCLING CAPACITY. ON THIS BASIS, COMPLETE CELL DEVELOPMENT WOULD THEN BE UNDERTAKEN IN PHASE II.