Claims
- 1. An electrochemical cell comprising
- an oxidizable anode material;
- a cathode current collector of inert electrically conductive material; and
- an electrolytic solution, in contact with the anode material and the cathode current collector;
- said electrolytic solution consisting essentially of a reducible liquid cathode material which is electrochemically reduced on the cathode current collector, an electrolyte solute dissolved in the reducible liquid cathode material for imparting conductivity to the electrolytic soltuion, and a small quantity of iodine monochloride which catalyzes the electroreduction of the liquid cathode material on the cathode current collector.
- 2. An electrochemical cell in accordance with claim 1 wherein
- the electrolyte solute is LiAlCl.sub.4, LiAlBr.sub.4, LiBCl.sub.4, LiBF.sub.4, LiAsF.sub.6, LiSbCl.sub.6, Li.sub.2 SnCl.sub.6, Li.sub.2 TiCl.sub.6, AlCl.sub.3, SnCl.sub.4, TiCl.sub.4, SbCl.sub.5, BCl.sub.3, or a combination of AlCl.sub.3, SnCl.sub.4, TiCl.sub.4, SbCl.sub.5, or BCl.sub.3 with LiCl, LiBr, or LiF.
- 3. An electrochemical cell in accordance with claim 2 wherein
- the reducible liquid cathode material is selected from the group consisting of fluid oxyhalides, fluid non-metallic oxides, fluid non-metallic halides, fluid metallic halides, and mixtures thereof.
- 4. An electrochemical cell in accordance with claim 3 wherein
- the oxidizable anode material is an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal.
- 5. An electrochemical cell in accordance with claim 4 wherein
- the concentration of iodine monochloride in the electrolytic solution is between about 0.01M and 0.2M.
- 6. An electrochemical cell in accordance with claim 5 wherein
- the oxidizable anode material is lithium.
- 7. An electrochemical cell in accordance with claim 6 wherein
- the electrolyte solute is lithium tetrachloroaluminate.
- 8. An electrochemical cell in accordance with claim 7 wherein
- the reducible liquid cathode material is thionyl chloride.
- 9. An electrochloride cell in accordance with claim 7 wherein
- the reducible liquid cathode material is sulfuryl chloride.
- 10. An electrochemical cell in accordance with claim 1 wherein
- the concentration of iodine monochloride in the electrolytic solution is between about 0.01M and 0.2M.
- 11. An electrochemical cell in accordance with claim 10 wherein
- the electrolyte solute is LiAlCl.sub.4, LiAlBr.sub.4, LiBCl.sub.4, LiBF.sub.4, LiAsF.sub.6, LiSbCl.sub.6, Li.sub.2 SnCl.sub.6, Li.sub.2 TiCl.sub.6, AlCl, SnCl.sub.4, TiCl.sub.4, SbCl.sub.5, BCl.sub.3, or a combination of AlCl.sub.3, SnCl.sub.4, TiCl.sub.4, SbCl.sub.5, or BCl.sub.3 with LiCl, LiBr, or LiF.
- 12. An electrochemical cell in accordance with claim 11 wherein
- the oxidizable anode material is an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal; and
- the reducible liquid cathode material is selected from the group consisting of fluid oxyhalides, fluid non-metallic oxides, fluid non-metallic halides, fluid metallic halides, and mixtures thereof.
- 13. An electrochemical cell in accordance with claim 12 wherein
- the oxidizable anode material is lithium.
- 14. An electrochemical cell in accordance with claim 13 wherein
- the electrolyte solute is lithium tetrachloroaluminate.
- 15. An electrochemical cell in accordance with claim 14 wherein
- the reducible liquid cathode material is thionyl chloride.
- 16. A electrical cell in accordance with claim 14 wherein
- the reducible liquid cathode material is sulfuryl chloride.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to application Ser. No. 538,465, filed Oct. 3, 1983, by Keith A. Klinedinst and William D. K. Clark entitled "Electrochemical Cell"; application Ser. No. 538,464, filed Oct. 3, 1983, by Keith A. Klinedinst and William D. K. Clark entitled "Primary Electrochemical Cell"; and application Ser. No. 809,747 filed Nov. 8, 1985 by Keith A. Klinedinst and William D. K. Clark entitled "Primary Electrochemical Cell," which application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 538,464.
This invention relates to electrochemical cells. More particularly, it is concerned with primary electrochemical cells having an oxidizable active anode material, a cathode current collector, and an electrolytic solution comprising a reducible liquid cathode material and an electrolyte solute dissolved therein.
A particularly effective class of primary electrochemical cells which employs soluble or liquid cathode materials, as opposed to the more conventional solid cathode cells, has undergone rapid development in recent years. In these cells, the active cathode material is usually a fluid solvent for an electrolyte solute which provides conductivity. The active anode of the cell is usually lithium or other highly electropositive metal. During discharge the solvent is electrochemically reduced on a cathode current collector.
One particular type of electrochemical cell of the foregoing class which contains a lithium anode employs a reducible liquid cathode of an oxyhalide, specifically thionyl chloride or sulfuryl chloride. Typically the electrolyte solute dissolved in the oxyhalide solvent is lithium tetrachloroaluminate. Lithium/oxyhalide electrochemical cells have proven to have outstanding weight and volume energy density, long shelf life, and unusually high power density when compared with other cells previously available.
An electrochemical cell in accordance with the present invention which provides improved output voltage and output capacity comprises an oxidizable anode material, a cathode current collector, and an electrolytic solution in contact with the anode material and the cathode current collector. The electrolytic solution consists essentially of reducible liquid cathode material, an electrolyte solute dissolved in the reducible liquid cathode material for imparting conductivity to the electrolytic solution, and iodine monochloride for catalyzing the electroreduction of the liquid cathode material.
US Referenced Citations (12)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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538464 |
Oct 1983 |
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Patent Grant
4784927
