Fluorine-based cathode materials for thermal batteries

Abstract

A thermal battery can include: an anode of lithium alloy; a metal-fluoride cathode having Ni; and an electrolyte composition in contact with the anode and cathode. The electrolyte composition can be a tertiary electrolyte composition of LiF—LiCl—Li2SO4. A thermal battery can also include: an anode of lithium alloy; a metal-fluoride cathode having an oxide selected from V2O5 or LiVO3; and an electrolyte composition in contact with the anode and cathode. In one aspect, a metal of the metal fluoride cathode includes Ni, Fe, V, Cr, Mn, Co, or mixture thereof. In one aspect, the metal-fluoride cathode includes NiF2, FeF3, VF3, CrF3, MnF3, CoF3, or a mixture thereof. A method of providing electricity can include: providing an electronic device having a thermal battery with a metal-fluoride cathode having Ni and/or having an oxide selected from V2O5 or LiVO3; and discharging the thermal battery to provide electricity.

1 . A thermal battery comprising:
 an anode of lithium alloy;   a metal-fluoride cathode having Ni; and   a tertiary electrolyte composition in contact with the anode and cathode, the tertiary electrolyte composition comprising LiF—LiCl—Li 2 SO 4 .   
     
     
         2 . The battery in  claim 1 , wherein the lithium alloy is lithium-silicon, lithium-aluminum, lithium-tin, or lithium-iron. 
     
     
         3 . The battery in  claim 1 , wherein:
 an amount of the F and Cl halide anions relative to a total amount of negative ions is at least about 20 mol %; or   wherein the total LiF and LiCl salts and total Li 2 SO 4  salt has a ratio of LiF and LiCl:Li 2 SO 4  being from about 0.2:1 to about 2.0:1.   
     
     
         4 . The battery in  claim 1 , wherein the metal-fluoride cathode includes NiF 2 . 
     
     
         5 . The battery in  claim 1 , wherein the metal-fluoride cathode includes NiF 2 /Ni, NiF 2 /V 2 O 5 , NiF 2 /LiVO 3 , or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The battery in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the anode comprises 10%-50% electrolyte material; and   the metal-fluoride cathode comprises 5%-30% electrolyte material.   
     
     
         7 . The battery in  claim 1 , wherein the metal-fluoride cathode includes a conductive carbon material therein. 
     
     
         8 . The battery in  claim 7 , wherein the conductive carbon material is selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, graphite, graphene, carbon nanotube, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The battery in  claim 4 , wherein the metal-fluoride cathode includes a conductive metal particle. 
     
     
         10 . The battery in  claim 9 , wherein the conductive metal particle is selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cu, Fe, stainless steel, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The battery in  claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises: at least 50 wt % of the metal-fluoride and at least 1 wt % of a conductive material. 
     
     
         12 . The battery in  claim 1 , wherein the metal-fluoride cathode includes NiF 2 /Ni. 
     
     
         13 . The battery in  claim 1 , wherein the metal-fluoride cathode includes NiF 2 /V 2 O 5 . 
     
     
         14 . The battery in  claim 1 , wherein the metal-fluoride cathode includes NiF 2 /LiVO 3 . 
     
     
         15 . The battery in  claim 1 , wherein the metal-fluoride cathode includes an oxide. 
     
     
         16 . The battery in  claim 1 , wherein the oxide is V 2 O 5  or LiVO 3 . 
     
     
         17 . The thermal battery of  claim 1 , where LiF can range between 10-50%, LiCl can range between 30-60%, and LiSO 4  can range between 15-45%. 
     
     
         18 . The thermal battery of  claim 1 , wherein the metal-fluoride cathode includes the Ni as a conductive metal particle. 
     
     
         19 . A method of providing electricity comprising:
 providing an electronic device having a thermal battery of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte composition is at a temperature so as to be a molten electrolyte; and   discharging the thermal battery to provide electricity.   
     
     
         20 . A method of providing electricity comprising:
 providing an electronic device having a thermal battery of  claim 4 , wherein the electrolyte composition is at a temperature so as to be a molten electrolyte; and   discharging the thermal battery to provide electricity.   
     
     
         21 . A method of providing electricity comprising:
 providing an electronic device having a thermal battery of  claim 18 , wherein the electrolyte composition is at a temperature so as to be a molten electrolyte; and   discharging the thermal battery to provide electricity.