Thermal battery and method of making the same having solid complex of SO2 and lithium tetrachloroaluminate as electrolyte

Abstract

A light weight, thermal battery having a cathode, an anode and a solid complex of SO 2 and lithium tetrachloroaluminate as the solid electrolyte therein. The solid complex of SO 2 and lithium tetrachloroaluminate is represented by the formula LiAlCl 4 ·xSO 2 , wherein 1.0<x<4. The thermal battery is activated by heating the battery to temperatures of approximately between 35° C. to 90° C. A method of making the thermal battery is taught.

I claim:  
     
       1. A light weight, thermal battery comprising 
       an anode;  
       a cathode; and  
       a solid electrolyte positioned between and in contact with said anode and said cathode, wherein said solid electrolyte is a complex of SO 2  and lithium tetrachloroaluminate.  
     
     
       2. The thermal battery of claim  1 , wherein said solid electrolyte is represented by the formula LiAlCl 4 ·xSO 2 , wherein 1.0<x<4. 
     
     
       3. The thermal battery of claim  2 , wherein said solid electrolyte is LiAlCl 4 ·2SO 2 . 
     
     
       4. The thermal battery of claim  1 , wherein said solid electrolyte has a melting point ranging from approximately 35° C. to 90° C. 
     
     
       5. The thermal battery of claim  1 , wherein said anode is composed of lithium or lithium alloyed with a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silicon and tin. 
     
     
       6. The thermal battery of claim  1 , wherein said cathode is composed of a porous, high surface area carbon, CuCl 2 , CuCl, CuO, NiCl 2  or MnO 2  or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       7. A method for producing a light-weight, thermal battery comprising the steps of: 
       providing a thermal battery cell case;  
       positioning within said thermal battery cell case an anode and a cathode;  
       filling, at ambient temperature, said thermal battery cell case, having positioned therein said anode and said cathode, with a liquid electrolyte;  
       sealing said thermal battery cell case having positioned therein said anode, said cathode and said liquid electrolyte; and  
       cooling said sealed thermal battery cell case having therein said anode, cathode and liquid electrolyte to a temperature sufficient to freeze said liquid electrolyte, wherein said liquid electrolyte is a complex of SO 2  and lithium tetrachloroaluminate.  
     
     
       8. The method of claim  7 , wherein said temperature sufficient to freeze said liquid electrolyte is below approximately −10° C. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim  7 , wherein said liquid electrolyte is represented by the formula LiAlCl 4 ·xSO 2 , wherein 1.0<+<4. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim  9 , wherein said liquid electrolyte is LiAlCl 4 ·2SO 2 . 
     
     
       11. The method of claim  7 , wherein said liquid electrolyte, once frozen, has a melting point ranging from approximately 35° C. to 90° C. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim  7 , wherein said anode is composed of lithium or lithium alloyed with a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silicon and tin. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim  7 , wherein said cathode is composed of a porous, high surface area carbon, CuCl 2 , CuCl, NiCl 2  or MnO 2  or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim  7 , wherein said thermal battery cell case is composed of nickel or nickel plated cold rolled steel.