Secondary batteries using room-temperature molten non-aqueous

Abstract

Batteries and especially secondary batteries employing selected anodes and cathodes such as conjugated backbone polymers and transition metal chalcogenides inserted with alkali metal cations (especially lithium) and molten, non-aqueous electrolyte compositions containing admixture of aluminum halide and at least one of 1,2,3-trialkylimidazolium halide and 1,3-dialkylimidazolium halide having the formulae TimX and DimX, respectively: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, and R.sub.5 are independently alkyl groups of 1 to 12 carbons and X is independently halide, e.g., chloride and bromide and in some instances an alkali metal and/or tetraalkylammonium salt which may also be incorporated into the electrolyte composition are disclosed. The molar ratio of aluminum to trialkylimidazolium or to dialkylimidazolium in the electrolyte, may be varied over a wide range so as to make the molten electrolyte composition basic or neutral and as such the electrolyte is useful in batteries, especially secondary batteries comprising anodes of reduced conjugated backbone polymers or lithiated transition-metal chalcogenides such as Li.sub.x WO.sub.2 and a variety of cathodes such as oxidized conjugated backbone polymers or lithiated transition-metal chalcogenides such as Li.sub.x CoO.sub.2.