HIGH POWER LITHIUM RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES WITH INORGANIC ELECTROLYTES

THE PERFORMANCE OF SEVERAL RECHARGEABLE LITHIUM/INORGANIC ELECTROLYTE BATTERY SYSTEMS IS BEING EVALUATED DURING HIGH POWER PULSE DISCHARGE CONDITIONS SUITABLE FOR STRATEGIC DEFENSE APPLICATIONS. LITHIUM/INORGANIC ELECTROLYTE CELLS SUCH AS THE LI/CUC12 CELL USING SO2 BASED ELECTROLYTES HAVE BEEN FOUND TO GIVE EXCELLENT CYCLE LIFE AND ENERGY DENSITIES(E.G. 200 CYCLES AT 75 WHR/LB) BUT HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED OR DEVELOPED FOR HIGH POWER PULSE DISCHARGE CYCLING. THE HIGH ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY OF SEVERAL INORGANIC ELECTROLYTES AND THE UNUSUAL POSITIVE ELECTRODE REDUCTION MECHANISM SUGGESTS THAT LI/INORGANIC ELECTROLYTE CELLS MAY GIVE OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE. IN THIS STUDY, THE HIGH POWERPERFORMANCE OF SEVERAL PROMISING NEW POSITIVE ELECTRODE MATERIALS IS BEING EVALUATED AND CELL DESIGN IS BEING IMPROVED. POSITIVE ELECTRODE TECHNOLOGY IS BEING DEVELOPED TO INCREASE THE HIGH CURRENT CAPABILITIES OF THE BEST ELECTROCHEMICAL SYSTEM. THIS PROJECT, WHEN SUCCESSFUL, COULD HAVE POTENTIAL FOR TERRESTRIAL RAIL GUN, LASER AND SIMILAR WEAPON SYSTEMS IN ADDITION TO THE SPACE POWER APPLICATION. THE TECHNOLOGY WOULD IMPROVE THE HIGH RATE CONTINUOUS DISCHARGE PERFORMANCE OF LI/INORGANIC ELECTROLYTERECHARGEABLE CELLS. THUS, IT WOULD BENEFIT POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS SUCH AS LOW EARTH ORBIT SATELLITE POWER, CELLULAR RADIOS AND IMPLANTABLE ELECTROMEDICAL DEVICES SUCH AS HEART DEFRIBILLATORS.