High-temperature sodium nickel chloride battery for electric vehicles

Although the sodium-nickel chloride cell couple has a high voltage (2.59 V) and a high specific energy (790 Wh/kg), the performance of present incarnations of this battery tend to be limited by their power. Because the nickel chloride electrode dominates the resistance and weight of the cell, research on this cell couple at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has been primarily directed toward improving both the specific power and energy of the NiCl{sub 2} electrodes. During the course of these investigations a major breakthrough was achieved in lowering the impedance and increasing the usable capacity through the use of chemical additives and a tailored electrode morphology. This improved Ni/NiCl{sub 2} electrode has excellent performance characteristics, wide-temperature operation and fast recharge capability. Modeling studies done on this electrode indicate that a fully developed Na/NiCl{sub 2} battery based on ANL-single tube and bipolar designs would surpass the mid-term and approach the long-term goals of the US Advanced Battery Consortium

Lithium batteries for pulse power

New designs of lithium batteries having bipolar construction and thin cell components possess the very low impedance that is necessary to deliver high-intensity current pulses. The R D and understanding of the fundamental properties of these pulse batteries have reached an advanced level. Ranges of 50--300 kW/kg specific power and 80--130 Wh/kg specific energy have been demonstrated with experimental high-temperature lithium alloy/transition-metal disulfide rechargeable bipolar batteries in repeated 1- to 100-ms long pulses. Other versions are designed for repetitive power bursts that may last up to 20 or 30 s and yet may attain high specific power (1--10 kW/kg). Primary high-temperature Li-alloy/FeS{sub 2} pulse batteries (thermal batteries) are already commercially available. Other high-temperature lithium systems may use chlorine or metal-oxide positive electrodes. Also under development are low-temperature pulse batteries: a 50-kW Li/SOCl{sub 2} primary batter and an all solid-state, polymer-electrolyte secondary battery. Such pulse batteries could find use in commercial and military applications in the near future. 21 refs., 8 figs

Re-evaluation of the eutectic region of the LiBr-KBr-LiF system

The separator pellet in a thermal battery consists of electrolyte immobilized by a binder (typically, MgO powder). The melting point of the electrolyte determines the effective operating window for its use in a thermal battery. The development of a two-hour thermal battery required the use of a molten salt that had a lower melting point and larger liquidus range than the LiCl-KCl eutectic which melts at 352 C. Several candidate eutectic electrolyte systems were evaluated for their suitability for this application. One was the LiCl-LiBr-KBr eutectic used at Argonne National Laboratories for high-temperature rechargeable batteries for electric-vehicle applications. Using a custom-designed high-temperature conductivity cell, the authors were able to readily determine the liquidus region for the various compositions studied around the original eutectic for the LiBr-KBr-LiF system. The actual eutectic composition was found to be 60.0 m/o LiBr-37.5 m/o KBr-2.5 m/o LiF with a melting point of 324 {+-} 0.5 C

Investigation of primary Li-Si/FeS/sub 2/ cells

The factors that limit the performance of thermally activated Li-Si/FeS/sub 2/ batteries were defined through the use of electrochemical characterization tests and post-test examinations. For the characterization tests, 82 individual cells were instrumented with multiple voltage sensors and discharged under isothermal and isobaric conditions. The voltage data for the sensors were recorded to determine the ohmic and electrochemical impedances of each cell component at different levels of discharge. The data analysis completed to date has demonstrated that this approach can successfully differentiate the influence of various operating parameters (e.g., temperature, current density), electrode structures (e.g., FeS/sub 2/ particle size), and additives on cell capacity, specific energy, and power capability. Thirty cells selected from these tests and additional tests at SNL were examined using optical and scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. These analyses documented microstructural and compositional changes in the active materials and electrolyte. In general, the electrochemical impedance of the FeS/sub 2/ electrode limited cell performance. Several methods (including use of fine FeS/sub 2/ particle size, graphite additions, and higher operating temperatures) produced measurable reductions in this impedance and yielded significant improvements in specific energy and power. Additions of KCl to the negative electrode extended the low-temperature capacity of this electrode by counterbalancing gradients in electrolyte composition that develop during discharge

Development of high-performance Na/NiCl sub 2 cell

The performance of the Ni/NiCl{sub 2} positive electrode for the Na/NiCl{sub 2} battery has been significantly improved by lowering the impedance and increasing the usable capacity through the use of chemical additives and a tailored electrode morphology. The improved electrode has excellent performance even below 200{degrees}C and can be recharged within one hour. The performance of this new electrode was measured by a conventional galvanostatic method and by a newly developed powerdynamic'' method. These measurements were used to project the performance of 40 to 60-kWh batteries built with this new electrode combined with already highly developed sodium/{beta} -- alumina negative electrode. These calculated results yielded a specific power of 150--400 W/kg and a specific energy of 110--200 Wh/kg for batteries with single-tube and bipolar cell designs. This high performance, along with the high cell voltage, mid-temperature operation, fast recharge capability, and short-circuited failure mode of the electrode couple, makes the NA/NiCl{sub 2} battery attractive for electric vehicle applications

Electroformation of uranium hemispherical shells

This effort was directed at developing an electrochemical process for forming uniform and dendrite-free deposits of uranium from molten salts. This process is to be used for the electroformation of free-standing hemispherical shells of uranium for nuclear applications. Electrodeposition of uranium onto a substrate was accomplished with a fused chloride mixture containing 42 wt% UCl{sub 3} and a fused chloride-fluoride mixture containing 4 wt % UF{sub 4}. Under pulsed potential control at 504{degree}C, the chloride-fluoride mixture yielded the widest range of plating conditions for which dendrites could be avoided. Bipolar current pulse plating with both electrolytes gave good results, and successful application of this technique to a large tubular cathode has been demonstrated. 24 refs., 10 figs

Argonne National Laboratory Reports

This effort was directed at developing an electrochemical process for forming uniform and dendrite-free deposits of uranium from molten salts. This process is to be used for the electroformation of free-standing hemispherical shells of uranium for nuclear applications

Sodium/nickel-chloride battery development

The performance of the Ni/NiCl{sub 2} positive electrode for the Na/NiCl{sub 2} battery has been significantly improved compared to that of our earlier electrodes, representative for 1990. This improvement has been achieved by lowering the impedance and increasing the usable capacity through the use of chemical additives and a tailored electrode morphology. The improved electrode has excellent performance even at 250{degrees}C and can be recharged within one hour. The performance of this new electrode was measured by the conventional interrupted galvanostatic method and under simulated driving profiles. These measurements were used to project the performance of 40- to 60-kWh batteries built with this new electrode combined with the already highly developed sodium/{beta}{double_prime}-alumina negative electrode. These calculated results yielded a specific power of 150--400 W/kg and a specific energy of 110--200 Wh/kg for batteries with single-tube and bipolar cell designs. This high performance, along with the high cell voltage, mid-temperature operation, fast recharge capability, and short-circuited failure mode of the electrode couple, makes the Na/NiCl{sub 2} battery attractive for electric vehicle applications

Argonne National Laboratory Reports

The factors that limit the performance of thermally activated Li-Si/FeS2 batteries were defined through the use of electrochemical characterization tests and post-test examinations. For the characterization tests, 82 individual cells were instrumented with multiple voltage sensors and discharged under isothermal and isobaric conditions. The voltage data for the sensors were recorded to determine the ohmic and electrochemical impedances of each cell component at different levels of discharge. The data analysis completed to date has demonstrated that this approach can successfully differentiate the influence of various operating parameters (e.g., temperature, current density), electrode structures (e.g., FeS2 particle size), and additives on cell capacity, specific energy, and power capability. Thirty cells selected from these tests and additional tests at SNL were examined using optical and scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. These analyses documented microstructural and compositional changes in the active materials and electrolyte. In general, the electrochemical impedance of the FeS2 electrode limited cell performance. Several methods (including use of fine FeS2 particle size, graphite additions, and higher operating temperatures) produced measurable reductions in this impedance and yielded significant improvements in specific energy and power. Additions of KCl to the negative electrode extended the low-temperature capacity of this electrode by counterbalancing gradients in electrolyte composition that develop during discharge