Positive electrode for electrical energy storage device

Abstract

The rechargeable electrical energy storage device including spaced-apart negative electrode and positive electrode structures immersed in an electrolyte which is molten at the operating temperature of the device wherein the positive electrode structure comprises a housing for containing a body of electropositive active material, said housing having at least one open face, an electrolyte permeable member affixed to the housing and covering said open face for retaining said active material in said housing and said housing and electrolyte permeable member comprising material selected from the group consisting of steel, nickel, copper and alloys thereof having at least an 8 .mu.m thick electroless nickel coating thereon. In accordance with the present invention it has been found that such an electroless nickel coating permits the use of relatively inexpensive conductive materials such as steel, nickel, copper and alloys thereof and provides the corrosion resistance required in the molten electrolyte. The present invention is particularly applicable to electrical energy storage devices which utilize a transition metal chalcogenide as a positive electrode active material and a lithium alloy as the negative electrode active material.