General Electric Company

Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated

Walter L Roth

Gregory C Farrington

Stephan P Mitoff

Robert R Dubin

A solid state, ambient temperature electrochemical cell is described which includes a lithium type or a sodium type anode, a cathode of pressed sulfur and carbon containing therein a nominal amount of a non-aqueous solvent with ionic conductivity enhancing material, a solid ion-conducting electrolyte between and in contact with the anode and the cathode, and a casing enclosing the anode, the cathode and the electrolyte. Such a cell is described also which includes a liquid mercury-indium alloy on at least a portion of the solid ion-conducting electrolyte in contact with the anode.

Solid state, ambient temperature electrochemical cell

In a sodium sulfur cell including a beta-alumina separator between the sodium and sulfur compartments, high surface area gettering means, e.g., beta-alumina or beta'-alumina, for potassium and alkali earth metal ion impurities in the sodium to protect the separator. The gettering means is disposed in the sodium container in the form of particles or a continous porous shell or porous solid plug adjacent to the separator.

Sodium sulfur cell

A sealed lithium electrochemical cell with sodium beta-alumina ion-conductive electrolyte is described which comprises a casing, an anode positioned within the casing, the anode selected from the class consisting of lithium, lithium as a solid alloy, and lithium in a non-aqueous electrolyte, a cathode positioned within the casing, the cathode functioning with a lithium-type anode and a solid sodium beta-alumina ion-conductive electrolyte, and a solid sodium beta-alumina ion-conductive electrolyte positioned within the casing between the anode and cathode and in contact with both the anode and cathode.

Sealed lithium electrochemical cell with sodium beta-alumina electrolyte

A gaseous fuel cell is disclosed which has a solid hydronium beta-alumina electrolyte positioned between and in direct electrical contact with a pair of gas permeable, electronically conductive electrodes.

Fuel cell with hydronium beta-alumina electrolyte

A sealed lithium-sodium electrochemical cell is described which comprises a casing, an anode positioned within the casing, the anode selected from the class consisting of lithium-sodium, lithium-sodium as an amalgam, and lithium-sodium in a non-aqueous electrolyte, a cathode positioned within the casing, the cathode functioning with a lithium-sodium type anode and a solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte, and a solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte positioned within the casing between the anode and cathode and in contact with both the anode and cathode, the solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte having an approximate composition of LiNa0.9Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 of which 1.3 to 85% of the total alkali ion content is lithium.

Sealed lithium-sodium electrochemical cell

A sealed lithium-sodium electrochemical cell with sodium beta-alumina ion-conductive electrolyte is described which comprises a casing, an anode positioned within the casing, the anode selected from the class consisting of lithium-sodium, lithium-sodium as an amalgam, and lithium-sodium in a non-aqueous electrolyte, a cathode positioned within the casing, the cathode functioning with a lithium-sodium type anode and a solid sodium beta-alumina ion-conductive electrolyte, and a solid sodium beta-alumina ion-conductive electrolyte positioned within the casing between the anode and cathode and in contact with both the anode and cathode

Sealed lithium-sodium electrochemical cell with sodium beta-alumina

A sealed lithium-chlorine cell is described which comprises a casing, an anode positioned within the casing, the anode selected from the class consisting of lithium, lithium as an amalgam, and lithium in a non-aqueous electrolyte, a cathode positioned within the casing, the cathode comprising chlorine with an ionic conductivity enhancing material, and a solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte positioned within the casing between the anode and cathode and in contact with both the anode and cathode, the solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte having an approximate composition of LiNaO.sup.. 9Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 of which 1.3 to 85% of the total alkali ion content is lithium.

Sealed lithium-chlorine cell

A sealed lithium-reducible gas cell is described which comprises a casing, an anode positioned within the casing, the anode selected from the class consisting of lithium, lithium as an amalgam, and lithium in a non-aqueous electrolyte, a cathode positioned within the casing, the cathode consisting of a reducible gas in a non-aqueous electrolyte with an ionic conductivity enhancing material, and a solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte positioned within the casing between the anode and cathode and in contact with both the anode and cathode, the solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte having an approximate composition of LiNaO.sup.. 9Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 of which 1.3 to 85% of the total alkali ion content is lithium.

Sealed lithium-reducible gas cell

A sealed lithium-bromine cell is described which comprises a casing, an anode positioned within the casing, the anode selected from the class consisting of lithium, lithium as an amalgam, and lithium in a non-aqueous electrolyte, a cathode positioned within the casing, the cathode comprising bromine with an ionic conductivity enhancing material, and a solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte positioned within the casing between the anode and cathode and in contact with both the anode and cathode, the solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte having an approximate composition of LiNaO.sup.. 9Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 of which 1.3 to 85% of the total alkali ion content is lithium.

Sealed lithium-bromine cell

A sealed lithium-iodine cell is described which comprises a casing, an anode positioned within the casing, the anode selected from the class consisting of lithium, lithium as an amalgam, and lithium in a non-aqueous electrolyte, a cathode positioned within the casing, the cathode is selected from the class consisting of iodine, and iodine with an ionic conductivity enhancing material, and a solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte positioned within the casing between the anode and cathode and in contact with both the anode and cathode, the solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte having an approximate composition of LiNaO.9Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 of which 1.3 to 85 percent of the total alkali ion content is lithium.

Sealed lithium-iodine cell

A solid state electrochemical cell is described which comprises a casing, an anode positioned within the casing, the anode selected from the class consisting of lithium, lithium as an amalgam, or alloys of lithium with indium or thallium, a cathode positioned within the casing, the cathode comprising a non-stoichiometric lithium compound in which the composition can be expressed by the formula Li.sub.x M.sub.y O.sub.z wherein the subscript x is in the range 0&lt;x&lt;1, M is a cation which can change its oxidation state in accordance with the value of x, the subscript y is in the range 0&lt;y.ltoreq.3, and z has a value such that electrical neutrality of the compound is established, and a solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte positioned within the casing between the anode and cathode and in contact with both the anode and cathode, the solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte having an approximate composition of LiNaO.9Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 of which 1.3 to 85.0% of the total alkali ion content is lithium.

Solid state electrochemical cell

A sealed lithium-phosphorous cell for ambient temperature operation is described which comprises a casing, an anode positioned within the casing, the anode selected from the class consisting of lithium, lithium as an amalgam, and lithium in a nonaqueous electrolyte, a cathode positioned within the casing, the cathode comprising of phosphorous in a nonaqueous electrolyte with an ionic conductivity enhancing material, and a solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte positioned within the casing between the anode and cathode and in contact with both the anode and cathode, the solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte having an approximate composition of LiNaO 9Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 of which 1.3 to 85% of the total alkali ion content is lithium.

Sealed lithium-phosphorous cell

A sealed lithium-reducible metal salt cell for ambient temperature operation is described which comprises a casing, an anode positioned within the casing, the anode selected from the class consisting of lithium, lithium as an amalgam, and lithium in a nonaqueous electrolyte, a cathode positioned within the casing, the cathode comprising a reducible metal salt in a nonaqueous electrolyte with an ionic conductivity enhancing material, and a solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte positioned within the casing between the anode and cathode and in contact with both the anode and cathode, the solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte having an approximate composition of LiNaO.sup.. 9Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 of which 1.3 to 85% of the total alkali ion content is lithium.

Sealed lithium-reducible metal salt cell

A sealed lithium-reducible phosphorous oxyhalide cell is described which comprises a casing, an anode positioned within the casing, the anode selected from the class consisting of lithium, lithium as an amalgam, and lithium in a nonaqueous electrolyte, a cathode positioned within the casing, the cathode consisting of a reducible phosphorous oxyhalide, and a reducible phosphorous oxyhalide with an ionic conductivity enhancing material, and a solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte positioned within the casing between the anode and cathode and in contact with both the anode and cathode, the solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte having an approximate composition of LiNaO.9Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 of which 1.3 to 85% of the total alkali ion content is lithium.

Sealed lithium-reducible phosphorous oxyhalide cell

A sealed lithium-reducible sulfur oxyhalide cell is described which comprises a casing, an anode positioned within the casing, the anode selected from the class consisting of lithium, lithium as an amalgam, and lithium in a non-aqueous electrolyte, a cathode positioned within the casing, the cathode consisting of a reducible sulfur oxyhalide, and a reducible sulfur oxyhalide with an ionic conductivity enhancing material, and a solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte positioned within the casing between the anode and cathode and in contact within both the anode and cathode, the solid lithium-sodium aluminate electrolyte having an approximate composition of LiNaO.9Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 of which 1.3 to 85% of the total alkali ion content is lithium.

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Schenectady, NY, United States of America

Walter L Roth