R & D OF AN IMPROVED LITHIUM ELECTRODE FOR HIGH-ENERGY BATTERIES

HIGH-ENERGY RECHARGEABLE LITHIUM BATTERIES WOULD BE OF GREATIMPORTANCE FOR THE ENTIRE FIELD OF HEART PUMP DEVELOPMENT. FUTURE PROGRESS IN THIS AREA IS SHOWN TO DEPEND ON SUCCESS- FUL DEVELOPMENT OF A LITHIUM ELECTRODE (ANODE) WITH DESIRABLE RECHARGEABILITY CHARACTERISTICS. THE BASIC CRITERIA FOR RECHARGEABILITY OF LITHIUM ANODES ARE DISCUSSEDAS WELL AS THE ELECTROCRYSTALLIZATION PROCESS OF WHISKER GROWTH AND THE MORPHOLOGICAL LEVELING MECHANISM. FOLLOWING CONSIDERATIONS OF SOLVENT SYSTEMS, SEVERAL NEW ELECTROLYTE SYSTEMS ARE SELECTED FOR PHASE I STUDY TO IMPROVE ELECTRO- CRYSTALLIZATION ON THE LITHIUM ANODE TO AVOID DENDRITE FORMATION. THIS PROGRAM CONSISTS OF TWO TECHNICAL TASKS ANDA FINAL REPORT PREPARATION. THIS PROGRAM IS EXPECTED TO PROVIDE A NEW BASIS FOR IDENTIFYING PROMISING APPROACHES TO ELECTROLYTE SYSTEMS THAT ARE STABLE AND CONDUCIVE TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE FACTORS FOR THE EXTENDED CYCLING CAPABILITY OF LITHIUM ANODES IN SECONDARY AMBIENT TEMPERA- TURE BATTERIES. THIS PHASE I PROGRAM WILL SERVE TO ESTABLISH BASIC NEW LINES OF APPROACH, SO THAT IN PHASE II, THE SYSTEM CAN BE OPTIMIZED AND INTEGRATED WITH OTHER COMPONENTS OF RECHARGEABLE HIGH-ENERGY LITHIUM BATTERIES FORPERCUTANEOUS OR TRANSCUTANEOUS ENERGY TRANSMISSION APPLICATIONS.